HYUNDAI AND KIA EXPECT TO POST DOUBLE-DIGIT GROWTH IN Q4 OPERATING PROFIT

Highlights –

• Hyundai and Kia expect to post double-digit growth in Q4 operating profit.
• Hyundai is likely to post an operating profit of 1.71 trillion won in Q4.
• Kia is reportedly expected to post 4.4 percent to 16.82 trillion won.

KFTC REVIEW THE DEAL BY KOREAN AIR TO BUY ASIANA AIRLINES INC.

Highlights –

• KFTC review the deal by Korean Air to buy Asiana Airlines Inc.
• KFTC will see if the merger could constitute a monopoly or hurt market competition.
• Korean Air in November 2020 said that it will acquire its smaller rival As...

BOJ GOVERNOR SUGGESTS COUNTRY’S ECONOMY SEVERE AND RECOVERY BE MODERATE

Highlights –

• BOJ Governor suggests country’s economy severe and recovery be moderate.
• Later in the day, BOJ is scheduled to release its quarterly Sakura report on regional economies.
• BOJ Governor Kuroda said the consumer price i...

S. KOREA REPORTS THE LARGEST JOB LOSS IN DECEMBER 2020 DUE TO PANDEMIC

Highlights –

• S. Korea reports the largest job loss in December 2020 due to pandemic.
• In December 2020, the jobless rate rose 0.7 percentage point on-year to 4.1 percent.
• The unemployment rate for young adults came to 8.1 percent in De...

U.S. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS WENT DOWN BY 10.3% IN 2020

Highlights

• One of the primary reasons behind this fall was economic fallout courtesy of the COVID-19 pandemic, specially in big emitting sectors like industry, transportations and power

• Thanks to this fall, the US would be able outperform its pledge made under th...

BUSINESSES VIOLATING SUSPENSION OF WORK AMID STATE OF EMERGENCY IN JAPAN TO BE FINED

Highlights –

• Businesses violating suspension of work amid state of emergency in Japan to be fined.
• A fine of 500,000 yen could be imposed if orders are not followed.
• Prefectural governors will be allowed to issue legally binding order...

U.S. DIDN’T IMPORT ANY SAUDI CRUDE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 35 YEARS

Highlights

• Recently Saudi Arabia had threatened to change the American energy industry by unleashing a tsunami of exports in the pandemic-affected market

• According to the weekly available data through June 2010 from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, thi...

HYUNDAI AND AFFILIATE KIA MOTOR REPORTS FALL IN U.S VEHICLE SALES IN 2020

Highlights –

• Hyundai and affiliate Kia Motor reports fall in U.S vehicle sales in 2020.
• Hyundai and Kia combined sold 1,208,374 vehicles in 2020.
• The carmakers' overall sales fell by 12 percent to 6.35 million units from 7.19 mill...

CHINA STATE COUNCILOR MEETS CYPRUS FM; VOWS TO STRENGTHEN BILATERAL TIES

Highlights –

• China State Councilor meets Cyprus FM; vows to strengthen bilateral ties.
• Chinese State Councilor made a stopover in Cyprus on his official trip to Africa.
• China wishes to build a green, healthy and digital silk road with...

S. KOREA RECORDS US$13.8 BILLION IN ONLINE SHOPPING TRANSACTIONS IN NOV. 2020

Highlights –

• S. Korea records US$13.8 billion in online shopping transactions in Nov.2020.
• Coronavirus pandemic led people in S. Korea to buy products via e-commerce platforms.
• Online transactions of food delivery were high at 60.6 pe...

CHINA SAYS IT’S READY TO WORK WITH ARGENTINA FOR A BETTER FUTURE

Highlights –

• China says it’s ready to work with Argentina for a better future.
• China aims to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.
• The Belt and Road cooperation is conducive to deepening connectivity and mutual underst...

JAPAN NPA REPORTS DROP IN NUMBER OF TRAFFIC DEATHS IN 2020

Highlights –

• Japan NPA reports drop in number of traffic deaths in 2020.
• The data showed a drop to a record low of 2,839 in 2020.
• In 2020, a total of 309,000 traffic deaths were confirmed.
• Tokyo reported the highest number ...

PRESIDENT TRUMP EXTENDS IMMIGRANT, WORK VISA BANS TILL MARCH

Highlights

• These bans were issued by the U.S. President in the month of April and June, and were going to expire on December 31 and now they have been extended until March 31, 2021

• Majority of the IT sector companies are heavily dependent on foreign workers, espe...

CHINA AND RUSSIA'S PRESIDENT VOWS TO MAINTAIN CLOSE CONTACT OVER VARIOUS FIELDS

Highlights –

• China and Russia’s president vows to maintain close contact over various fields.
• Xi exchanged New Year congratulations with Putin,
• The China-Russia Year of Scientific and Technological Innovation program was launche...

PM LEE ADDRESSED SINGAPOREANS ON THE NEW YEAR’S EVE

HIGHLIGHTS

• Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his New Year message enthralled a ray of hope in the hearts of people saying while 2020 has been an outstandingly testing year for Singapore, there is presently a promising end to current circumstances

SOUTH KOREA REPORTS CPI IN DECEMBER GREW BY LESS THAN 1 PERCENT

Highlights –

• South Korea reports CPI in December grew by less than 1 percent.
• The country’s annual inflation rose by less than 1 percent.
• In December CPI rose by 0.5 percent on-year.
• The country’s core inflation...

KIA MOTOR UNION WORKERS AGREE TO ACCEPT NEW THE ANNUAL WAGE DEAL

Highlights –

• Kia Motor union workers agree to accept the new annual wage deal.
• The company has also agreed to restore the 25-minute extra work system.
• Around 58.6 percent of the union workers agreed to the management’s proposals...

PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNED PANDEMIC RELIEF BILL ON SUNDAY

Highlights

• A week after calling the bill as disgrace, President Trump capitulated to Congressional pressure which resulted in averting a government shutdown

• This new bill will provide stability to the crippling US economy in the times when several states are once...

BOJ TO ASSESS ITS ULTRALOOSE MONETARY POLICY FRAMEWORK

Highlights –

• BOJ to assess its ultraloose monetary policy framework.
• The BOJ plans on studying the side effects of its monetary policy in March.
• The central bank has maintained short-term interest rates at minus 0.1 percent.

BOK REPORTS THE COUNTRY’S FINANCIAL MARKET TO BE STABLE

Highlights –

• BOK reports the country’s financial market to be stable.
• BOK published its biennial report on financial stability to the National Assembly.
• South Korean household’s outstanding debt reached 1,682.2 trillion wo...