Journalist

Kim Yeon-jae
  • Asian shares mostly higher early Wed; KOSPI and Nikkei lead on chip momentum
    Asian shares mostly higher early Wed; KOSPI and Nikkei lead on chip momentum SEOUL, October 29 (AJP) - Asian markets were mostly higher early Wednesday, with Seoul and Tokyo continuing to set the pace for the region on the back of strong third-quarter earnings and ongoing enthusiasm for AI-related chips. Sentiment was also supported ahead of a potential U.S. Federal Reserve rate cut expected at this week’s FOMC meeting. Korea’s benchmark KOSPI rose 0.7 percent to hover around 4,040 after jumping 1.27 percent earlier, driven by a fresh rally in SK hynix following its record third-quarter performance. Retail investors maintained a hectic buying streak, adding 71.3 billion won ($49.8 million) in net purchases, while institutional profit-taking was largely absorbed by long-term investors such as pension funds. SK hynix outperformed with a 3.17-percent rise to 538,000 won after reporting a record operating profit of 11.38 trillion won ($7.9 billion) for the quarter. The company also confirmed it had finalized 2026 high-bandwidth memory (HBM) supply volumes with key clients including NVIDIA. Samsung Electronics, however, struggled to hold its recent milestone. The stock rose about 0.7 percent to 100,200 won as of 10:30 a.m., but showed little appetite for further gains. Despite better-than-expected quarterly earnings and plans to unveil its new “trifold” smartphone at APEC 2025, investors remained cautious ahead of NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang’s visit to Korea and the results of NVIDIA’s HBM4 qualification process. Transformer-related stocks led broader gains. Hyundai Engineering & Construction surged more than 8 percent to 74,500 won after reports that a KEPCO-led consortium won a wind-power project in Saudi Arabia, boosting expectations for transformer demand. The momentum lifted LS Electric more than 6 percent to around 410,000 won and Hyosung Heavy Industries over 3 percent to 1.99 million won. Iljin Electric edged up only 0.7 percent to 51,800 won, with analysts noting it is less likely to benefit from the new orders. Among battery makers, Samsung SDI posted the strongest performance, climbing more than 6 percent to 331,000 won for a second day. Although its third-quarter results were soft, investors anticipate a fourth-quarter rebound driven by growing share in the North American energy storage system market and new electric-vehicle battery supply deals with Stellantis. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 rose more than 1.2 percent to around 50,850, supported by industrial and technology names after Japan and the United States announced a new joint investment framework the previous day. Hitachi, a nuclear-related heavyweight, gained 3 percent to 4,815 yen ($31.76), while Panasonic Holdings climbed over 2 percent to 1,866 yen. Mitsubishi Electric, a key supplier of power-grid solutions, jumped 4 percent to 4,240 yen. Advantest was the day’s standout, soaring 15.5 percent to about 20,900 yen, riding the global semiconductor rally sparked by the record results of Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. Across the region, Taiwan’s TAIEX advanced about 1 percent to 28,230. China’s Shanghai Composite Index briefly topped the 4,000 mark on Tuesday on optimism over potential progress in U.S.–China trade talks, but failed to maintain momentum as investors locked in profits. Markets also remained alert to how China’s economy may react to anticipated U.S. rate cuts. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was closed for the Chung Yeung Festival holiday. 2025-10-29 11:26:21
  • Asian shares broadly down Tuesday as Seoul, Tokyo retreat on profit-taking
    Asian shares broadly down Tuesday as Seoul, Tokyo retreat on profit-taking SEOUL, October 28 (AJP) - Asian markets ended mostly lower on Tuesday, with Korea and Japan pulling back after their record-setting rally in the previous session. Korea’s benchmark KOSPI fell 0.8 percent to close at 4,010.41, pressured by heavy foreign selling. Overseas investors offloaded 1.64 trillion won ($1.14 billion) worth of shares, while retail investors bought 1.57 trillion won and domestic institutions added 311.4 billion won, signaling broad profit-taking after a near uninterrupted two-week surge. The pullback centered on biggest winners Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, which fell 2.45 percent to 99,500 won and 2.62 percent to 521,000 won, respectively. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries plunged 4.81 percent to 594,000 won after investors dismissed the possibility of U.S. President Donald Trump visiting a Korean shipyard during his APEC-week trip. Some stocks, however, bucked the decline. Doosan Enerbility jumped 5.49 percent to 86,400 won after announcing a supply contract with U.S. firm Fermi America for nuclear reactor components, reinforcing expectations that it will benefit from Washington’s “Make American Nuclear Cooperation Great Again (MANUGA)” initiative. Samsung Heavy Industries extended Monday’s rally, rising 2.92 percent to 29,950 won on strong momentum behind its self-developed LNG tank technology and recent floating LNG project wins. Samsung Biologics gained 2 percent to 1,232,000 won after reporting a 115.3 percent on-year jump in operating profit to 728.8 billion won. Investors also took positions ahead of its trading suspension starting Thursday due to a planned spin-off. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 slipped 0.58 percent to 50,219.18 as investors locked in profits following Monday’s record close. Defense-related stocks, which had rallied sharply in recent weeks, reversed course — Kawasaki Heavy Industries tumbled 5.03 percent to 11,995 yen ($78.83). By contrast, Furukawa Electric surged 6.34 percent to 10,460 yen on reports that the United States and Japan had agreed on a new rare-earth cooperation framework. Elsewhere in the region, losses were more modest. China’s Shanghai Composite slipped 0.22 percent to 3,988.22, while Taiwan’s TAIEX eased 0.16 percent to 27,949.11. As of 4:30 p.m., Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was down around 0.5 percent, trading near 29,260. 2025-10-28 17:04:11
  • Hanwha Ocean stock cools after KRX flags overheating amid 11-fold jump in Q3 profit
    Hanwha Ocean stock cools after KRX flags overheating amid 11-fold jump in Q3 profit SEOUL, October 28 (AJP) - Hanwha Ocean’s red-hot rally lost steam Tuesday after the Korea Exchange (KRX) warned of overheating in the shipbuilder’s stock, which has surged more than 20 percent this month on anticipation of blockbuster quarterly earnings. Shares of Hanwha Ocean fell about 5 percent to 132,300 won ($92.16) by midday after the KRX designated the stock as an “issue of investment caution,” citing excessive volatility in price and trading volume. The stock recently drew the second-largest margin loan balance on the market after SK hynix. On Monday, Hanwha Ocean reported 289.8 billion won in operating profit for the July–September period — more than 11 times the 25.6 billion won earned a year earlier. Revenue rose 11.8 percent on year to 3.02 trillion won. The turnaround was largely driven by a surge in commercial-ship deliveries, which accounted for 2.46 trillion won, or 82 percent of total revenue, with the segment’s operating margin staying strong at 12.5 percent. High-value vessels, particularly liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, were cited as the main growth driver. “LNG carriers are expected to represent about 60 percent of our total revenue this year,” a company official said. “As related projects continue to be recognized, we expect to sustain solid profitability.” Further upside may come from the defense sector. Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries have formed the “Team Korea” consortium to bid for Canada’s Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), competing against Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS). The deal, if won, could open access to a market worth an estimated 60 trillion won. On Oct. 22, Hanwha Ocean launched the 3,600-ton diesel-electric submarine Jang Yeong-sil, underscoring its expanding naval shipbuilding capabilities. The company also plans to submit a letter of intent for Poland’s Orka submarine program, which calls for the construction of three vessels valued at around 8 trillion won, potentially deepening its foothold in Europe’s defense market. Meanwhile, Hanwha Philly Shipyard — the company’s U.S. unit acquired last December and central to the Korea–U.S. “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again” initiative — remains in a turnaround phase. It posted third-quarter revenue of 172 billion won but an operating loss of 39 billion won. Still, the yard’s backlog of 4.3 trillion won suggests a return to profitability once key contracts are delivered. Analysts expect Hanwha Ocean to maintain solid earnings momentum through steady LNG-carrier demand and new defense opportunities. According to Yuanta Securities Korea analyst Kim Yong-min, LNG-carrier revenue is projected to rise about 2 percent in the first quarter of 2026, while “a major event in the defense segment could further boost the stock.” Kim added that container-ship sales may dip temporarily but rebound by the third quarter of 2026, with revenue from very large crude oil carriers (VLCCs) increasing roughly 8 percent. 2025-10-28 13:35:14
  • KOSPI and Nikkei hit record highs as Asian stocks ride wave of foreign buying
    KOSPI and Nikkei hit record highs as Asian stocks ride wave of foreign buying SEOUL, October 27 (AJP) - Asian shares surged Monday as South Korea’s KOSPI and Japan’s Nikkei 225 both closed at all-time highs, driven by renewed foreign buying and strength in semiconductor and industrial stocks. The benchmark Kospi jumped 2.57 percent to finish at 4,042.83, marking its highest close on record. Chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix once again led the advance, joined by shipbuilding and nuclear-energy plays. Samsung Electronics surged 3.24 percent to 102,000 won ($71.18), breaking the symbolic 100,000-won barrier for the first time, while SK hynix soared 4.9 percent to 535,000 won, also reaching a record high. According to the Wall Street Journal, the KOSPI has emerged as one of the world’s best-performing equity markets this year, rising nearly 70 percent and far outpacing the Nikkei’s 24 percent gain, Germany’s DAX at 22 percent, and Britain’s FTSE 100 at 18 percent. The MSCI All Country World ex-U.S. Index, which tracks both developed and emerging-market stocks, is up around 26 percent in 2025. Samsung and SK hynix together accounted for more than half of the Kospi’s total gain over the past four months, underscoring the dominance of Korea’s chip sector in the market’s surge. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 climbed 2.46 percent to a historic 50,512, lifted by defense and semiconductor stocks amid optimism over new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s “Strong Japan” policy agenda. Kawasaki Heavy Industries jumped 9 percent to around 12,600 yen, while chip-testing equipment maker Advantest gained 6.5 percent to 18,200 yen. Elsewhere in the region, Taiwan’s TAIEX rebounded 1.68 percent to 27,993.63 after a holiday break, while China’s Shanghai Composite Index rose 1.2 percent to just under 3,997 as of 4:15 p.m. (KST). The broad-based rally reflects growing investor confidence in Asia’s manufacturing and tech recovery, supported by global demand for artificial-intelligence infrastructure and easing concerns over U.S. interest rates. 2025-10-27 16:47:03
  • HOT STOCK: Samsung Heavy flies to 52-week high on multiple upsides
    HOT STOCK: Samsung Heavy flies to 52-week high on multiple upsides SEOUL, October 27 (AJP) - Samsung Heavy Industries surged Monday to a new 52-week high on multiple catalysts — the successful domestication of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage-tank technology, speculation over a possible visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to its shipyard during APEC 2025, and a string of new orders. Shares of Samsung Heavy jumped about 16 percent to 28,800 won ($20.1) as of 3 p.m., nearly tripling from roughly 11,000 won at the start of the year. The rally followed the company’s announcement Monday morning that its first vessel equipped with the independently developed KC-2C liquefied LNG storage-tank system had completed a successful trial voyage. Until now, Korean LNG carriers had relied on the membrane-type containment systems exclusively licensed by France’s Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT), forcing domestic shipbuilders to pay substantial royalties. According to Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Jung-ho, Korean shipbuilders paid a total of about 7.4 trillion won in royalties to GTT between 1995 and this year. Samsung Heavy’s KC-2C design is reportedly comparable to GTT’s membrane system but more efficient in both construction and operation — and, crucially, free from costly licensing fees. Investor sentiment was also lifted by a swelling orderbook. U.S. LNG company Delfin Midstream has chosen Samsung Heavy as contractor for its first floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) production unit off the coast of Louisiana, with the second and third units expected to follow. FLNG facilities extract and liquefy gas at sea before loading it directly onto tankers — a technically demanding process requiring advanced offshore-engineering capabilities. The deal marks a major turning point for Samsung Heavy’s offshore-plant division, which has logged more than 1 trillion won in losses in recent years. The builder also secured a major FLNG order from Italy’s ENI Coral in July for a project in Mozambique, putting it close to meeting its annual order target. Should Delfin proceed with two more plants, the company is likely to achieve the target in full. Momentum is also returning to the container segment. Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine last week placed an order for seven container vessels — a welcome boost in a market where Chinese shipyards still command more than 70 percent of global capacity. According to IBK Securities analyst Oh Ji-hoon, Samsung Heavy’s third-quarter consolidated operating profit is expected to reach 120 billion won, up roughly 58 percent from a year earlier. “If the company secures the remaining FLNG and LNG contracts, it should comfortably hit its annual targets, with offshore-plant revenue leading the earnings improvement,” Oh said. Speculation that President Donald Trump may visit a Korean shipyard during his APEC tour further buoyed the sector. As of 3 p.m., HD Hyundai Heavy Industries rose 4.6 percent to 620,000 won, while Hanwha Ocean gained 3.3 percent to 139,500 won. Nam Chae-min, a researcher at Korea Investment & Securities, said Samsung Heavy “outlined multiple collaboration plans with U.S. shipowners during a recent conference call,” adding that a Trump visit could accelerate discussions on the MASGA Project, a proposed maritime-technology partnership between the two nations. 2025-10-27 16:46:55
  • HOT STOCK: Korean refiners rally on Russia sanctions, petrochemicals join ride
    HOT STOCK: Korean refiners rally on Russia sanctions, petrochemicals join ride SEOUL, October 24 (AJP) - South Korean refinery shares surged Friday as oil prices spiked following U.S. sanctions on Russia’s top refiners, Rosneft and Lukoil, elevating petrochemical sector long weighed down by overcapacity and an industrial slowdown. SK innovation, the market leader, jumped 7.6 percent to 133,900 won ($93.2), while S-Oil gained 2.5 percent to about 74,900 won. The rally followed a sharp climb in West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and Brent crude prices after Washington’s move against Moscow’s oil giants. With Russia ranking as the world’s No. 3 producer after the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, any restriction on its exports threatens to tighten global supply and push prices higher. Rising crude prices typically widen refining margins, improving profitability for refiners. This time, momentum also extended to petrochemical stocks, as higher feedstock costs tend to raise product prices. LG Chem hit a fresh high of 401,000 won after climbing 3 percent intraday, while smaller ISU Chemical soared by the daily limit for three straight sessions — leaping to 12,400 won from 5,850 won a week earlier. Refiners are broadly expected to report stronger third-quarter earnings. According to Yuanta Securities Korea analyst Hwang Kyu-won, SK innovation is likely to swing back to profit in the third quarter. “Dubai crude prices rose by more than $3 a barrel, which appears to have boosted refinery margins,” Hwang said. Consensus data from FnGuide projects SK innovation’s Q3 operating profit at about 201.8 billion won, driven mainly by its refining business. S-Oil is also expected to return to profit this quarter. Hanwha Investment & Securities analyst Lee Yong-wook forecast operating profit of 274.3 billion won, noting that “refining-segment profit is projected to reach 144 billion won, marking a sharp rebound from a 440 billion won loss in the previous quarter.” Despite rising competition from Chinese refiners, Korea’s oil refining industry remains among the world’s most competitive. In jet fuel alone, the country’s “Big Four” — SK innovation, S-Oil, HD Hyundai Oilbank, and GS Caltex — command roughly 30 percent of global market share, a position they have held for several years. Most analysts agree that Korean refiners tend to benefit whenever concerns mount over tighter oil supply — and Friday’s rally offered a timely reminder. 2025-10-24 16:53:30
  • Asian shares rebound, lifted by optimism over Trumps APEC tour
    Asian shares rebound, lifted by optimism over Trump's APEC tour SEOUL, October 24 (AJP) - Asian stocks rebounded Friday, buoyed by news that U.S. President Donald Trump will embark on his first Asia tour of his second term next week — a trip that includes back-to-back summit meetings with leaders of South Korea, Japan, and China during APEC week. Markets welcomed expectations that the visit could bring progress on pending trade and investment issues across the region. The benchmark KOSPI rose about 1.5 percent, reclaiming the 3,900-point threshold, as institutional investors bought a net 130 billion won ($90 million) worth of shares, joined by foreign investors with about 50 billion won in net purchases. Retail investors sold around 180 billion won to take profits. SK hynix jumped as much as 4.5 percent to 499,500 won, touching an intraday high of 504,000 won, while Samsung Electronics added 1.4 percent to 97,800 won on reports that it secured orders to produce Tesla’s next-generation AI5 chipsets. Battery-related shares rallied alongside Tesla’s overnight gains. LG Energy Solution advanced 3.7 percent to 465,000 won, while materials makers outperformed. ISU Chemical surged more than 25 percent past 12,000 won amid strong interest in its battery-material unit ISU Specialty Chemical, and POSCO Future M climbed 9.5 percent to about 223,000 won. Refinery shares were also among the session’s best performers on expectations of improved margins. SK Innovation soared nearly 8 percent to 134,500 won, and S-Oil rose 4 percent to 76,000 won, tracking a more than 5 percent overnight jump in global oil prices. The rally came after Washington imposed fresh sanctions on Russia’s top refiners, Rosneft and Lukoil, sending both WTI and Brent crude sharply higher. Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed 1.3 percent to 49,260, following regional strength and gains in U.S. tech and energy shares. Daikin Industries, a leading chemical and air-conditioning manufacturer, rose 2.5 percent to 18,480 yen ($121.1), one of the day’s top advancers. Taiwan’s TAIEX market was closed for a substitute public holiday marking the nation’s National Day. 2025-10-24 10:47:41
  • HOT STOCK: British fund bullish on LG Chem, local banks wary how far the stock can go
    HOT STOCK: British fund bullish on LG Chem, local banks wary how far the stock can go SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) - Shares of LG Chem set a new ceiling this week as the Korean chemical giant defied industrial headwinds after being spotlighted by a major foreign shareholder for excessive undervaluation. LG Chem closed Thursday at 389,500 won ($271), down after a 13 percent surge in the previous session. The rally followed a public statement by British activist fund Palliser Capital, which argued that “LG Chem’s stock is significantly undervalued, currently trading at just 74 percent of its intrinsic value.” Palliser urged the company to sell part of its stake in battery affiliate LG Energy Solution and use the proceeds for share buybacks to boost shareholder value. Founded in 2021 by James Smith, former chief investment officer of Elliott Management’s Hong Kong office, Palliser holds about 1 percent of LG Chem and ranks among its top ten shareholders. Smith is already well-known to Korea’s corporate scene for his past challenges to succession and governance structures at Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor during his Elliott tenure. Palliser has since pushed for shareholder-friendly actions at Samsung C&T in 2023 and SK Square in 2024. However, local analysts remain unconvinced that LG Chem’s rally can be sustained. “LG Chem remains overly reliant on internal business from its affiliate LG Energy Solution,” said Roh Woo-ho, analyst at Meritz Securities, in a report on October 16. He estimated that only 8.6 percent — or 56.3 billion won — of the company’s estimated 657.6 billion won third-quarter operating profit will come from non-LGES operations. “The lack of meaningful external revenue raises questions about business sustainability,” Roh noted. Petrochemicals, once the company’s core business, continue to weigh on earnings. According to second-quarter results released in August, the petrochemical division generated 4.696 trillion won in revenue — about 41.1 percent of the company’s total 11.47 trillion won — but posted losses of 56.5 billion won in Q1 and 90.4 billion won in Q2. The downturn reflects mounting competition from Chinese producers flooding the global market with cheaper, higher-quality output. Even the country’s third-largest player, Yeochun NCC, has faced liquidity strains and the threat of insolvency. LG Chem is seeking to offset the weakness by expanding into advanced materials and life sciences. The company supplies cathode materials for LG Energy Solution’s EV batteries, develops photo imageable dielectric (PID) materials for semiconductor packaging, and is broadening its pharmaceutical R&D pipeline. Still, much of its near-term sentiment hinges on LG Energy Solution’s performance, whose third-quarter operating profit jumped 34.1 percent year-on-year — offering a temporary boost to LG Chem’s outlook, if not yet a structural turnaround. 2025-10-23 17:33:24
  • Asian shares lower early Thursday, Korea flat on rate freeze
    Asian shares lower early Thursday, Korea flat on rate freeze SEOUL, October 23 (AJP) - Asian markets opened lower Thursday as investors locked in profits following Wall Street’s overnight decline, though a few selective gainers held their ground. In Seoul, the main indices hovered near flat after the Bank of Korea kept its policy rate unchanged for a sixth consecutive month, underscoring the complex uncertainties weighing on the economy. The KOSPI inched up 0.1 percent to 3,888.2, while the KOSDAQ was little changed at 879.24. SK hynix returned to positive territory, retrying record levels, while Samsung Electronics slipped 1.8 percent to 96,900 won despite overnight confirmation by Elon Musk about Samsung Electronics joining TSMC in the production of its AI5 chips powering its next-generation Tesla fleet. Hanmi Semiconductor, a key high-bandwidth-memory (HBM) equipment maker, eased 0.7 percent to 150,700 won as analysts cited profit-taking after the U.S. market slump. Battery makers also weakened. LG Energy Solution dipped 0.4 percent to 450,200 won after Tesla’s weaker-than-expected results, and EcoPro Materials lost 3 percent to 67,000 won. Parent EcoPro, which had surged more than 15 percent Wednesday, gave back 2.5 percent to 85,200 won on the KOSDAQ. By contrast, LG Chem extended its momentum, adding 0.7 percent to 394,000 won after Wednesday’s 13-percent jump triggered by Palliser Capital’s activist campaign urging value-enhancing reforms. ISU Chemical soared over 20 percent to 9,200 won, following a limit-up rally the previous session. Company officials said they could not identify any specific catalyst for the move. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 dropped 1.5 percent to around 48,560, dragged by SoftBank Group, down another 3 percent to 22,900 yen ($150.5). Defense contractors outperformed, with Sumitomo Heavy Industries up 7 percent to 3,930 yen and Kawasaki Heavy Industries gaining 2.7 percent to 10,800 yen on optimism over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s pledge for stronger defense spending. The Shanghai Composite Index opened around the 3,880, down roughly 0.7 percent. Shares related to natural resources and trade advanced across the board, while property and technology stocks declined broadly. Taiwan’s TAIEX fell 0.8 percent to 27,410, erasing the prior day’s mild gains. 2025-10-23 11:31:18
  • South Korean stocks soar while other Asian markets mostly flat
    South Korean stocks soar while other Asian markets mostly flat SEOUL, October 22 (AJP) - South Korean shares extended gains Wednesday, outperforming most Asian markets that moved flat to lower amid profit-taking. The benchmark KOSPI rose 1.56 percent to close at 3,883.68, while the KOSDAQ gained 0.76 percent to 879.15. Battery-related shares led the rally after a JP Morgan report showed global energy storage system (ESS) shipments in September jumped 105 percent year-on-year. LG Energy Solution climbed 3.09 percent to 450,500 won ($315.05), and Samsung SDI advanced 1.16 percent to 262,000 won. LG Chem surged 13.01 percent to 391,000 won after British activist fund Palliser Capital said the stock was trading at a 74 percent discount to its net asset value (NAV) — one of the steepest among major South Korean conglomerates. Hanwha Ocean jumped 9.69 percent to 132,400 won, boosted by expectations that its third-quarter operating profit will soar more than 1,000 percent from a year earlier on strong orders for high-value-added vessels. Semiconductor bellwethers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, which have powered recent market rallies, extended modest gains. Samsung Electronics rose 0.82 percent to 98,300 won, and SK hynix added 0.52 percent to 481,500 won. On the KOSDAQ, EcoPro stood out, soaring 15.15 percent to 87,400 won. The supplier of cathode materials and precursors for secondary batteries has benefited from renewed optimism in the global EV and ESS markets. Elsewhere in Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 ended nearly flat, shedding 0.02 percent to close at 49,307.79 after recovering from earlier losses of 0.7 percent triggered by tech sell-offs. SoftBank Group dropped 4.9 percent to 23,700 yen ($156.15), weighed down by concerns over large-scale tech investments including its Stargate initiative. China’s Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.07 percent to 3,913.76 as investors remained cautious amid lingering U.S.–China trade tensions. Taiwan’s TAIEX fell 0.37 percent to 27,648.91. 2025-10-22 17:15:29