Corporate Business Conditions at Worst Level Since COVID-19 [3-Minute Brief]

[At a Glance]
① Won-Dollar Exchange Rate Hits 1,465 Won
② Gwangju Real Estate Market Also at Worst Level
③ World's First Clean Hydrogen Project Fails to Gain Traction

MARKET INDEX : Year to date

○ US New York Stock Exchange's three major indices closed mixed
○ Treasury yields stabilized... previous declines narrowed
○ Continuing unemployment claims highest in 3 years

Top3 NEWS

■ Corporate business outlook frozen for 34 months... Worst since COVID-19

○ January BSI 84.6... plunged 12.7 points
○ Largest drop in 4 years and 9 months since COVID-19
○ Both manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors declined

■ KRW-USD exchange rate surpasses 1465 during trading... Highest since financial crisis

○ Rose to 1465.50 KRW during morning trading on the 26th
○ KRW-USD exchange rate expected to rise until first half of next year
○ First time since 2009, during the global financial crisis

■ Gwangju real estate market in 'emergency status'... "Only listings piling up"

○ Sharp drop in inquiries at brokerage offices due to price decline expectations
○ High housing supply rate and apartment ratio also major causes
○ Bank of Korea Gwangju-Jeonnam branch: "Housing purchase sentiment weakened"

Graphic News : What good is being the world's first, only one clean hydrogen plant

○ Domestic blue hydrogen production by SK, POSCO disrupted
○ Burdens on operators such as exchange rate fluctuations and utilization rates
○ "Policy support essential for domestic hydrogen production"

the Chart : "Will actively consult with the National Assembly on expanding ISA tax benefits"

○ Chairman Kim Byunghwan emphasizes legislative discussions
○ Actively promoting amendments to the Capital Markets Act
○ Preparing measures to secure investor trust

Terms in the News : South Korea, 1 in 5 people elderly... entering 'super-aged society'

○ Population aged 65 and over surpasses 20%
○ Fastest aging speed in the world
○ Urgent need to solve labor and welfare issues

Today's Key Schedule

○Domestic

○Overseas

06:30 American Petroleum Institute Weekly Crude Oil Stock

06:30 Federal Reserve Balance Sheet

08:30 Japan December Consumer Price Index

20:00 Brazil November Unemployment Rate

22:30 US November Goods Trade Balance

◇ Lunch & Commute Weather

○ Lowest temperature -7℃(▼5℃) ｜ Highest temperature: 1℃(▼1℃)
○ Precipitation probability 10% in the morning｜40% in the afternoon
○ Fine dust Good in the morning｜Good in the afternoon

OK in 3 minutes, essential time-efficient economic news. Published daily at 8 AM.