Euro Area ECB President Lagarde Speech

China Imports YoY

China Exports YoY

China Balance of Trade

The benchmark KOSPI rose nearly 1% to around 6,080 on Wednesday, snapping a five-day slide near a more than two-month low, as investors bought semiconductor shares following a sharp selloff in the previous session. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix climbed nearly 2% and more than 1%, respectively, recovering part of Tuesday's plunge of 7.39% and 10.09%. Gains also extended to other heavyweight stocks, including SK Square (1.28%), LG Energy Solution (2.7%), Hyundai Motor (1.1%), Kia Corporation (1.4%), Hyundai Mobis (4.1%), and Samsung Electro-Mechanics (1.7%). Meanwhile, lingering concerns over Chinese chipmaker CXMT's technological advances and the sustainability of AI spending continued to weigh on the sector. Investors also remained cautious ahead of the US September inflation report, with an expected acceleration in consumer prices potentially complicating the Federal Reserve's interest rate outlook and adding to concerns over technology stock valuations.

South Korean Shares Snap 5-Day Decline

China’s producer price inflation accelerated to 5.0% year-on-year in September 2026 from 3.8% in August and exceeded expectations of a 4.5% increase. This marked the strongest rise since June 2022, as prices of production materials picked up to 6.5% from 5.0%, driven by faster increases in mining (25.4% vs 17.8%), raw materials (9.4% vs 6.7%) and processing (3.4% vs 3.1%). Meanwhile, consumer goods prices fell 0.1%, easing from a 0.5% decline in August, as food prices fell 1.8%, clothing dropped 1.2% and daily-use goods decreased 0.6%, while durable goods prices rose 1.6%. Among major industries, prices increased sharply in coal mining (35.3%), oil and gas extraction (24.5%) and non-ferrous metal smelting (21.4%). On a monthly basis, producer prices rose 1.2%, accelerating from August’s 0.4% gain, as mining prices surged 7.7% and raw material prices increased 2.6%. In the first nine months of the year, producer prices increased 2.3% from the same period last year.

China Producer Inflation Highest Since 2022

China’s annual inflation edged up to 0.9% in September 2026 from August’s 0.8%, less than market expectations of 1%. It was the highest reading since June, as non-food prices rose at a steeper rate (1.5% vs 1.2% in August). On the food side, prices declined for the sixth straight month (-1.7% vs -1.4%). On a monthly basis, consumer prices increased 0.2%, falling short of forecasts of 0.3% and slowing from a 0.4% increase in August, which marked the highest monthly reading since February.

China Inflation Rate Slightly Below Estimates

Silver traded near $59 an ounce on Wednesday after declining for two consecutive sessions, as investors awaited US consumer inflation data for clues on the Federal Reserve’s next policy move. Markets are currently pricing in roughly a 77% probability that the Fed will leave interest rates unchanged this month, while assigning an 88% chance of a rate hike in December. Meanwhile, New York Fed President John Williams indicated that one additional rate hike may be warranted this year, but further monetary tightening is unlikely to be necessary in 2027. Geopolitical tensions also remained in focus as oil prices extended gains amid escalating hostilities between Saudi Arabia and Iran-backed Houthi rebels, raising concerns over Middle East supply disruptions. Separately, the IMF warned of significant risks to global growth and financial stability stemming from a potential end to the AI investment boom, mounting debt levels, and a prolonged conflict in the Middle East.

Trending Symbols And Events

Most latest news, events and ideas for smart decisions

Latest News