Oil Prices Rebound as Strait of Hormuz Tensions Return After Ship Attack Near Oman 
US Dollar Slips After PCE Inflation Data as Fed Rate Hike Expectations Stay Elevated 
Trump Threatens 100% Tariffs on Countries Imposing Digital Services Taxes on U.S. Tech Firms 
Oil Prices Rise as US-Iran Tensions Threaten Strait of Hormuz Oil Shipments 
Japan Signals Preference for Low Interest Rates as BOJ Policy Debate Intensifies 
China Factory PMI Seen Returning to Growth in June as AI Export Demand Supports Economy 
Gold Prices Rise Above $4,000 as Inflation Data and Weaker Dollar Boost Demand 
China Sets 1.25% Overnight Reverse Repo Rate Below Market Expectations 
Japan Targets 1%+ Real Economic Growth With ¥370 Trillion Investment Plan 
South Korea’s KOSPI Plunges as Apple Price Hikes and OpenAI IPO Delay Shake AI Chip Stocks 
Iran Attack in Strait of Hormuz Pushes Oil Prices Higher 
World Bank Approves $1.1 Billion Emergency Funding for Bangladesh Amid Food and Energy Price Pressures 
Wall Street Ends Lower as AI Stocks Drag Markets, Fed Rate Outlook Shifts 
Bank Regulation Rollbacks in the U.S. and UK Could Increase Financial Risks, Study Warns 
SpaceX Eyes Starlink Mobile Phone Service to Challenge Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile 
Morgan Stanley Sees Chinese Auto Market Recovery Gaining Momentum in Late Summer 
South Korea is establishing a 50 trillion won ($34 billion) policy fund to support key industries like semiconductors, electric vehicles, batteries, and biopharmaceuticals as global competition and trade protectionism intensify. The government emphasized the critical role of advanced industries in national economic security, referring to this effort as a "war without gun smoke."
The fund, managed by the state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB), will provide low-interest loans and investments over the next five years to strengthen domestic companies in 12 designated strategic sectors. These industries include chips, future mobility, AI, aerospace, and biotechnology.
The initiative comes as U.S. President Donald Trump’s new administration enforces tariff threats on major industries, heightening external uncertainty. In response, South Korea is fortifying its industrial base to mitigate supply chain disruptions and enhance global competitiveness.
A previously introduced financial package for the semiconductor industry will now be integrated into the new fund, further supporting South Korea’s chipmakers amid escalating global demand. This move aligns with the country’s broader strategy to maintain leadership in high-tech industries while securing long-term economic stability.
