SoftBank Shares Slide After Arm Earnings Miss Fuels Tech Stock Sell-Off 
Asian Markets Slip as AI Spending Fears Shake Tech, Wall Street Futures Rebound 
Australian Scandium Project Backed by Richard Friedland Poised to Support U.S. Critical Minerals Stockpile 
Australia’s December Trade Surplus Expands but Falls Short of Expectations 
Alphabet’s Massive AI Spending Surge Signals Confidence in Google’s Growth Engine 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Baidu Approves $5 Billion Share Buyback and Plans First-Ever Dividend in 2026 
Trump Signs Executive Order Threatening 25% Tariffs on Countries Trading With Iran 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
Rio Tinto Shares Hit Record High After Ending Glencore Merger Talks 
Gold and Silver Prices Rebound After Volatile Week Triggered by Fed Nomination 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
Prudential Financial Reports Higher Q4 Profit on Strong Underwriting and Investment Gains 
Dollar Near Two-Week High as Stock Rout, AI Concerns and Global Events Drive Market Volatility 
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure 
Oil Prices Slip as U.S.–Iran Talks Ease Supply Disruption Fears 
Namyang Dairy Products received an order from the court to transfer its controlling stake to Hahn & Company. This is a blow to the owners of the dairy firm as it has recently been fighting to nullify its agreement with the Seoul-based private equity firm (PEF).
The court issued the order based on the acquisition deal that was agreed on by Namyang Dairy Products and Hahn & Company last year. According to The Korea Times, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of the latter and told Namayang’s chairman Hong Won Sik and his family to honor the stock purchase agreement (SPA) that they had previously signed.
The judge also dismissed all the claims of the Hong family, saying that Hahn & Company breached their contract, which is why it cannot hand over the company. The verdict was the result of a lawsuit filed by the PEF firm against Namyang and its owners last year after they seemed to have changed their minds about selling the company.
Hong and his family kept delaying the transfer of the stake and later tried to offer the company to another buyer. Hahn & Company asked the chairman to fulfill what they have agreed on when they signed a contract in May of last year, to sell their 53.8% share in Namyang for KRW310.7 billion or about $220.2 million.
Namyang wants to terminate the agreement four months after the agreement. The company alleged that Hahn & Company unlawfully interfered in their management in addition to breaking a non-disclosure agreement.
"The ruling confirmed the natural principle that contracts should be kept and we thank the court for making a good decision,” an official at Hahn & Company said in a statement. “There have been three provisional dispositions made against Chairman Hong and there is no doubt that our claims have been justified.”
The company added that once they fully confirmed the ruling of the court, it will swiftly make a move and take over the management rights. The official said that their next goal after the takeover is to move on and work to normalize Namyang Dairy Products' business operation.
On the other hand, Korea Joongang Daily reported that Namyang Dairy’s chairman Hong Won Sik is not accepting the ruling and planning to appeal the court’s decision. "Our rights were not properly protected in the process of selling the company that inherited the family business. It is regretful that the court did not seem to have fully considered these conditions," he said.
