Samsung Electronics Achieves 20 Trillion Won in Quarterly Operating Profit... A New Milestone for Korean Companies [3-Minute Brief]

[At a Glance]
1. Samsung Electronics posts 20 trillion won in Q4 operating profit last year... All-time high driven by booming semiconductor sector
2. Investment banks: "Bank of Korea to keep base rate unchanged this year... K-shaped recovery led by IT"
3. Financial authorities to continue household loan restrictions... Expanding corporate finance

MARKET INDEX : Year to date

○ The New York Stock Exchange ended mixed as investors took profits from AI stocks.

○ Defense stocks soared following Donald Trump's comments on increasing the defense budget.

○ Attention is focused on the December employment report to be released on January 9.

Top3 NEWS

■ Samsung sets new record with all-time high quarterly operating profit exceeding 20 trillion won in Q4

○ Preliminary Q4 operating profit last year: 20 trillion won
○ Record-high quarterly revenue and operating profit
○ Continued performance improvement driven by booming memory sector

■ Global investment banks: "Korea to keep base interest rate at 2.5% this year... K-shaped growth continues"

○ Macroeconomic outlook from BNP Paribas and ING
○ "Interest rate adjustments should monitor impact on weak Korean won"
○ Economic growth forecast at 2%, led by IT and semiconductors

■ Tightening household loans, boosting corporate liquidity to revive the economy

○ Financial authorities expected to maintain household loan management stance this year
○ Raising risk-weighted assets (RWA) for mortgage loans to reduce household loan supply
○ Focus on supplying funds to companies to drive economic revival through productive finance

Graphic News: First-time home purchases in Seoul hit highest since Moon administration... Half are in their 30s

○ Last year, first-time home purchases in Seoul reached the highest level since 2021
○ Cumulative apartment price increase in Seoul at a record 8.71%
○ Early buying trend spreads among people in their 30s amid rising home prices

the Chart: 100,000 won for the shell, 10 million won for the core? Why Hanmi Semiconductor's converted stock price matters

○ Hanmi Semiconductor's par value is 100 won, but converted stock price is 9.3 million won
○ Investment boom in semiconductor materials, parts, and equipment is fueling the trend
○ Net short position exceeding 6% remains a variable

Today's Key Schedule

○Domestic

○International

08:30 Japan Household Spending (MoM) (November)

10:30 China Consumer Price Index (MoM) (December)

16:00 Germany Trade Balance (November)

16:45 France Consumer Spending (MoM) (November)

22:30 US Average Hourly Earnings (MoM) (December)

22:30 US Non-Farm Payrolls (December)

22:30 US Unemployment Rate (December)

22:30 US Private Non-Farm Employment Change (December)

22:30 Canada Participation Rate (December)

◇ Lunch & Evening Commute Weather

○ Lowest temperature: -5℃ (▲4℃) ｜Highest temperature: 6℃ (▲7℃)
○ Precipitation probability: 40% in the morning | 40% in the afternoon
○ Fine dust: Moderate in the morning | Moderate in the afternoon

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