Mei Ri Jing Ji Xin Wen·2025-08-20 03:59Market Overview - The South Korean KOSPI index opened lower, down 1.98% at 3089.26 points, with a high of 3121.52 and a low of 3079.27 [1][2] - The Nikkei 225 index in Japan also saw a decline, with a drop of 1.68% [4] Economic Insights - The Bank of Korea's Governor, Lee Chang-yong, indicated that while the economy rebounded in Q2, uncertainties from trade negotiations with major economies could influence monetary policy decisions next week [2][3] - Lee emphasized the need to consider various factors before deciding on a potential return to a monetary easing cycle, citing rising delinquency rates among small businesses and regional developers as a financial stability risk [3] - Despite a supportive supplementary budget, Lee warned of high risks in tariff negotiations and noted that inflation could remain close to the Bank's 2% target due to stable energy prices and weak demand [3] Industry Performance - South Korea's automotive exports rose by 8.8% year-on-year in July, reaching $5.83 billion, marking the second consecutive month of growth, with exports to the EU surging by 32.7% [4] - Exports to the U.S. fell for the fifth consecutive month, down 4.6% year-on-year to $2.33 billion, although the decline rate slowed significantly from June's 16% [4] Corporate Developments - SoftBank Group's stock fell over 8% following the announcement of a $2 billion investment in Intel, acquiring shares at $23 each, which will make SoftBank the fifth-largest shareholder in Intel [6] - The investment aims to support Intel's manufacturing transformation and AI ecosystem development in the U.S. [6]