美电动车补贴政策调整，欧美电动车需求走弱，韩国三大电池巨头去年第四季度均亏损

Group 1 - The core issue is that the three major South Korean battery manufacturers, LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, and SK On, reported operating losses in Q4 of last year due to changes in U.S. electric vehicle subsidy policies and weakening demand in Europe and the U.S. [1] - LG Energy Solution recorded an operating loss of approximately 1.22 trillion KRW (about 1.14 billion USD), which could increase to 4.55 trillion KRW if U.S. tax incentives are excluded [1] - Samsung SDI and SK On are also expected to incur significant losses, with estimates of 300.3 billion KRW and 2000 billion KRW respectively [1] Group 2 - The U.S. electric vehicle market has shown a significant decline, with new electric vehicle sales dropping by 48.9% month-on-month to 74,800 units in October last year [2] - Predictions for the U.S. electric vehicle market in 2023 are cautious, with a projected year-on-year decline of 29%, totaling around 1.1 million units [2] - The European market, where South Korean manufacturers are heavily invested, is also experiencing a slowdown, influenced by the EU's decision to withdraw plans to ban new gasoline vehicles by 2035 [2] Group 3 - The changes in market demand have affected the supply chain, leading LG Energy Solution to cancel contracts worth approximately 13.5 trillion KRW for electric vehicle batteries [2] - SK On has also terminated its joint battery factory project with Ford in the U.S. due to the changing market environment [2] - Earnings forecasts for the three major battery companies have been revised downwards, with LG Energy Solution's Q1 operating profit expected to drop from 502.4 billion KRW to 183 billion KRW [2]