BofA: Investors pulled $17.2 billion from U.S. equities in the week ended July 1, marking the biggest weekly outflow since March.
The move also ended a three-month streak of steady inflows into U.S. stock funds, according to EPFR Global data cited by Michael Hartnett's team.
Money shifted toward international markets, with Japan attracting $1.9 billion, its strongest weekly inflow in seven weeks.
Concerns over AI-driven valuations continued to pressure chip stocks, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index dropping about 11% over the last two trading sessions.
🇯🇵 Japan says it stands ready to act against excessive FX volatility; officials decline to comment on specific yen levels as markets watch for possible BOJ rate hike and intervention.
Citi: Brent crude could fall to $60 per barrel by the end of the year as risks around the Strait of Hormuz ease.
Analyst Francesco Martoccia said oil market fundamentals are returning to normal, with shipping activity recovering and the spot crude market weakening.
The bank also noted that global oil inventory draws have been much smaller than expected, reducing concerns over supply shortages.
Citi expects some near-term volatility as shipping routes normalize, insurance costs adjust and logistics improve, but says rising vessel traffic suggests commercial operators now see the disruption risk as manageable.
The Korea Printed Circuit Board and Semiconductor Packaging Association (KPCA) says Samsung and SK Hynix pushed substrate suppliers to cut prices. They asked vendors to reverse the 3%–4% average increase agreed in Q1. The chipmakers cited easing pressure on raw materials like gold and copper. They said H2 pricing should return to pre-hike levels.
KPCA says Samsung and SK Hynix are pressing substrate suppliers to lower quotes. They want to roll back the average 3–4% price rise agreed in Q1. Both firms cite eased volatility in raw materials like gold and copper. They say H2 supplier prices should revert to pre-increase levels.
🇰🇷 BREAKING: SK Hynix plunges nearly 15% after Meta's AI cloud plans spark overcapacity fears. Asian chip stocks tumble, erasing about $290B in market value from SK Hynix and Samsung ahead of SK Hynix's planned Nasdaq ADR listing.
🔴 Japan's Nikkei 225 closed July 2 (Thursday) down 1,741.81 points (-2.47%) at 68,733.15. South Korea's KOSPI closed July 2 (Thursday) down 610.98 points (-7.36%) at 7,692.43.
🇰🇷 South Korea says current economic conditions differ from the 1997 Asian financial crisis, with USD liquidity remaining ample. Authorities are weighing measures to boost overnight FX market liquidity, while saying USD/KRW levels do not reflect economic fundamentals and confirming close coordination with Japan on foreign-exchange policy.
TD Securities says a joint US-Japan currency intervention to support the yen now looks increasingly likely.
The firm noted Japan's top currency official, MIMURA, repeatedly mentioned the US in a Wednesday interview, suggesting Tokyo is seeking Washington's backing for coordinated action.
According to TD Securities, a joint intervention would have a much bigger impact than Japan acting alone, with USD/JPY potentially falling by well over the typical 5-yen move seen in past interventions.
The firm also believes MIMURA's comments were a warning to currency traders against pushing USD/JPY beyond the 163 level.
🚨 OCBC Slashes Brent Oil Price Forecasts Through Q2 2027
OCBC Group Research cut its Brent crude forecasts through Q2 2027 after oil shipments and tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz rebounded following the US–Iran memorandum of understanding.
The bank said expectations of supply normalization have pushed oil prices back toward pre-conflict levels, reviving concerns of a potential global supply glut.
🚨 Major Korean Banks Ramp Up FX Trading Ahead of 24-Hour KRW Market
South Korea's biggest banks are expanding FX trading teams, boosting Seoul–London operations, and upgrading systems ahead of the launch of a near-24-hour KRW foreign exchange trading regime on July 6, aimed at improving won liquidity and accelerating the internationalization of Korea's financial markets.
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🚨 Goldman Sachs flags South Korea's leveraged ETF frenzy as risk to global markets
• Goldman Sachs says surging leveraged ETF demand from South Korea has pushed equity funding costs to unusual mid-year highs, straining dealer balance sheets.
• Single-stock leveraged ETFs linked to Samsung and SK Hynix have surged from $3 billion to about $91 billion, with 92% of holdings owned by retail investors.
• Goldman says South Korea's "insatiable" appetite for leveraged products has driven S&P 500 financing costs to their highest level since late 2024.
🚨 SK Hynix files amended SEC registration for Nasdaq listing
• SK Hynix filed an amended registration with the SEC to list American Depositary Shares (ADS) on Nasdaq under ticker SKHY.
• The company aims to raise 45.5 trillion won ($29.4 billion) to fund construction of AI chip manufacturing facilities in South Korea.
• Trading is expected to begin on July 10, pending completion of the offering.
• The filing comes just days after SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics, and Micron were named in a DRAM price-fixing class-action lawsuit. If completed, the offering could rank among the largest share offerings in history.