Policy Rate Held Steady Again Amid Concerns Over Exchange Rate and Housing Prices [3-Minute Brief]

[At a Glance]
1. Bank of Korea signals possible end to rate hikes with rate freeze... Growth forecast for next year raised to 1.8%
2. Banks expand partnerships with retailers... Aiming to strengthen platform competitiveness and grow customer base
3. Kolon TissueGene hits 52-week high on TG-C expectations... Up 53% this month

MARKET INDEX : Year to date

○ U.S. New York Stock Exchange closed for Thanksgiving... November 28 is a half-day session
○ AI bubble concerns ease, expectations for rate cuts rise... Will the 'Santa Rally' ignite?
○ Fed Beige Book points to reduced consumer spending... 85% expect a rate cut in December

Top3 NEWS

■ "Korea's growth rate will be better in 2027 than 2026"... Real estate and exchange rate instability, Bank of Korea keeps rates on hold in November

○ "Growth forecast: 1.0% this year, 1.8% next year, 1.9% in 2027"
○ Exports: Despite the full impact of U.S. tariffs, "semiconductors will lead"
○ Rates held at 2.50% for the fourth consecutive time... Real estate and exchange rate instability must be monitored

■ Bank-retail alliances... Why banks are partnering with retailers

○ Hana Bank-McDonald's, KB Kookmin Bank-GS Retail, Shinhan Bank-Olive Young
○ Collaborating with retail channels to expand customer base
○ Advantageous for securing data and low-cost deposits

■ Kolon TissueGene bought by foreigners, rewriting record highs

○ Stock price up 53% this month... Market cap at 5.7 trillion won
○ Stock price has increased eightfold from the post-resumption low
○ Osteoarthritis treatment clinical trial to conclude in March next year

Graphic News: 12 trillion won 'West Coast Energy Expressway Project' opens big... Busy K-Electric Power Industry

○ LS Electric accelerates localization of core HVDC equipment
○ Government to invest about 11 trillion won in the West Coast Energy Expressway Project
○ Domestic power industry intensifies competition to secure large-scale HVDC projects

the Chart: Domestic banks' NPL ratio at 0.57% at end-September... Up 0.04%p YoY

○ Domestic banks' non-performing loan ratio rises to 0.57% year-on-year
○ Non-performing loans total 16.4 trillion won... Corporate loans account for the largest share
○ Financial Supervisory Service to strengthen NPL management and monitoring of soundness

Today's Key Schedule

○Domestic

KOSDAQ Samsung SPAC No.12 listed, final public offering price 2,000 won

○Overseas

00:00 U.S. Building Permits (September)

00:00 U.S. Retail Inventories Excluding Autos (September)

08:30 Japan Tokyo Core Consumer Price Index (YoY) (November)

16:00 Germany Retail Sales (MoM) (October)

16:45 France Consumer Price Index (MoM) (November)

17:00 Switzerland GDP (QoQ) (Q3)

22:30 Canada GDP (MoM) (September)

◇ Lunch & Commuting Weather

○ Lowest temperature: -1℃ (▼6℃) ｜Highest temperature: 7℃ (▼3℃)
○ Precipitation probability: 0% morning｜0% afternoon
○ Fine dust: Moderate in the morning｜Moderate in the afternoon

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