US strikes Iran over troop deaths as Israel warns Tehran’s attacks are coming close - AP News
US strikes Iran over troop deaths as Israel warns Tehran’s attacks are coming closeAP News
AP News
Daily Brief
EN → 한국어
Monday, July 20, 2026
Today's Brief
Today’s Key Insight
Escalating geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe appear to be driving up market volatility and energy prices, as evidenced by the surge in WTI crude oil and the VIX index in the latest sessions. While global equities faced downward pressure prior to the weekend, structural economic drivers like the semiconductor boom continue to offer a medium-term silver lining for export-dependent economies. Investors are navigating a complex landscape where immediate geopolitical risks clash with resilient macroeconomic indicators in key technology sectors.
Market Overview
Korea. South Korean markets were closed for a holiday, but prior-session data from July 16 showed a sharp contraction with the KOSPI falling 6.37% amid growing concerns over peak semiconductor earnings. Despite this equity market correction, the Bank of Korea suggests that the IT-driven improvement in terms of trade is structural and will likely have a stronger-than-expected positive spillover on domestic demand.
US. US equities closed lower on July 17, led by a 1.40% decline in the Nasdaq, as market participants reacted to rising geopolitical anxieties and a 12.19% spike in the VIX volatility index. Investors appeared to seek safety in sovereign debt, pushing the US 10-year yield down to 4.54%, while monitoring US military strikes in Iran and a major Russian missile attack on Ukraine.
Cross-Market Signals
- Geopolitical Friction and Energy Risk: US military action in Iran and escalating tensions in Ukraine have driven WTI crude oil up by 4.48% to 82.49 dollars, signaling heightened risk premiums in global commodity markets.
- Flight to Safety and Volatility Spike: The sharp 12.19% jump in the VIX index alongside a rise in gold prices to 4,012.70 dollars suggests that investors are actively hedging against geopolitical uncertainty.
- Semiconductor Divergence: While recent stock declines for major chipmakers sparked peak-cycle fears, macroeconomic assessments from the Bank of Korea suggest that structural demand for IT exports remains robust enough to support long-term recovery.
Markets as of 2026-07-17 close 🔴 Risk-Off
VIX +12.2% ↑↑ · S&P 500 -1.0%
🏛️ KRX closed today — 제헌절
S&P Sectors
Tech -1.1%
Finance -0.9%
Health -0.4%
Energy +1.2%
Industrial -0.4%
Staples -0.7%
Utilities -0.7%
Real Estate -0.1%
Materials -0.7%
Comms -1.8%
Discretionary -1.6%
World
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Russia launches major ballistic missile attack on Ukrainian cities
Eight people die and dozens are injured as several cities are hit by missile and drone attacks, while Kyiv continues its own assault on Russian infrastructure.
BBC World
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Trump welcomes reports Andy Burnham could open up North Sea oil drilling
US President Donald Trump has said people in the Scottish city of Aberdeen will be “dancing in the streets” following reports Andy Burnham could back new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. The incoming UK prime minister, dubbed the “King of the North” for his work as the mayor of Greater Manchester in northwestern England, has not confirmed reports that he is considering approving new fossil fuel production, particularly in the North Sea’s Rosebank and Jackdaw fields. But in a post on his...
SCMP
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Cuba edges toward breakdown as power cuts and US meddling push society to brink
As Cuba swelters under six-month oil blockade imposed by US, tempers are fraying and unrest is growingWhen Cuba’s national grid collapses, as it did for the third time in 10 days on Tuesday, a collective groan spreads across its cities and people wonder, again, whether the island’s antiquated electricity system may soon become unrecoverable.The 777-mile long Caribbean island of 9.5 million people has been sweltering undera six-month-long oil blockade imposed by theUS, part of a pressure campaign to bring down its communist government. But the parlous state of Cuba’s infrastructure goes far further back.Continue reading...
The Guardian
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Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun meets Rubio ahead of Trump talks
Aoun is expected to meet Donald Trump on Tuesday, as Beirut seeks US backing to end Israel-Hezbollah fighting.
Al Jazeera
Korea
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Semiconductor boom and improved terms of trade, domestic impact larger than ever
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아시아경제
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Bank of Korea: Semiconductor improves trade terms… domestic impact likely large
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뉴시스
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Choi Tae‑won “If an N% bonus harms shareholders and other stakeholders, it must be addressed”
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동아일보
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SK하이닉스 plunge sparks peak‑theory explosion… Bank of Korea: “Semiconductor boom continues”
The increase in semiconductor export volumes has lifted GDP, and the improvement in trade terms due to rising memory prices has further boosted GDI. The resulting rise in corporate profits is expected to be quickly reflected in investment. Major forecast agencies project Samsung Electronics and...
국민일보
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[1st report][World Cup] Spain wins after 16 years… Messi’s Argentina loses 1‑0 in overtime
(New York·Seoul=Yonhap) Reporter Park Sung‑min, reporter Ahn Hong‑seok = The ‘Invincible Armada’ Spain defeated Lionel Messi’s Argentina 1‑0 in extra time to claim the World Cup for the first time in 16 years, heading into the 2026 tournament...
연합뉴스