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The Korea Times

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Asia

The Korea Times

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Columnists

Peter S. Kim

3 investment risks to watch for in 2023

The year 2022 was one where investors faced a multitude of hazards like the Russian invasion of Ukraine, China's reversal of its market reforms and the disorderly global recovery from COVID-19. But most notable was soaring inflation not seen since the 1970s.

2023-01-01 16:50

Inconvenient truths of the ESG movement

Over the past few years, the environment, social, and governance (ESG) movement has morphed into a global phenomenon as governments, corporations, and investors rush to embrace its implementation. In an era where the public backlash against large corporations is at an all-time high, the need to rein in corporate profits generated at society's expense is hard to argue for all stakeholders.

2022-12-04 17:00

China's new era under Xi

Last month, the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party put beyond doubt the fact that President Xi Jinping will rule the world's second-largest economy with an iron fist for years, if not decades. By extending the constitutionally mandated maximum term of 10 years, Xi is now the first leader since Mao Zedong to sit for an unlimited rule.

2022-11-06 17:00

No need to panic over currency

For decades, economists and policymakers have confidently predicted that the world is “turning Japanese.” Structural trends like declining demographics and growing dependence on debt to drive economic growth have the world looking like taking a path similar to Japan's “lost decades.” The conviction that the world is in a deflationary trap was supported by the spread of technology and globalization, further pressuring prices for labor and products.

2022-09-20 15:28

Korea's currency weakness

About halfway through the year, battered investors globally are struggling to see the end of the tunnel due to the relentlessly rising inflation and interest rates. Over the past few weeks, financial markets have been bracing for an imminent global recession after losing faith in the ability of central banks to rein in runaway inflation.

2022-07-31 14:43

Not just another crypto-bubble

Amid stock market woes year to date, the spectacular boom and bust of the “Luna” cryptocurrency surpassed them all. Within a few days, billions of dollars evaporated after an investor frenzy unmatched in the history of asset bubbles. Luna was founded by 30-year-old Do Kwon, who launched the “Terra” U.S. dollar stable coin in 2020.

2022-07-03 16:10

President Yoon's pro-business promise

With U.S. President Joe Biden's visit to South Korea in the rearview mirror, it is a good time to look at President Yoon Suk-yeol's to-do list, which has many challenges on the political and economic front. One of the most urgent is the turbulence in global financial markets, which are currently being weighed down by fears of stagflation and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The last time South Korea hosted a U.S. president, it was with circus-like fanfare for the meeting between Donald Trump and North Korea's Kim Jong-un. Some even had hopes of unification between the two Koreas.

2022-06-05 16:59

End of COVID-19 bull market

More than 20 years ago, legendary investor Warren Buffet warned about investment bubbles by declaring, “Only when the tide goes out do you discover who's been swimming naked.” Buffett's famous words seem pertinent with the fears of inflation shaking financial markets after two years of irreverent increases in asset prices.

2022-05-01 16:19

Korea's decoupling with China

For the past couple of weeks, global financial markets saw a relief rally in hopes of a resolution to the war in Ukraine and stability to inflationary pressures. Most importantly for Asian markets, the Chinese government calmed investors with some supportive language regarding the political clampdown on large corporations.

2022-04-03 16:40

Investing in times of war

To add to the woes of financial markets already struggling with red-hot inflation, Vladimir Putin decided to make his presence felt at just the worst possible time. Despite indications of imminent invasion by Russia, investors remained quietly confident that common sense would prevail until last week. The initial complacency was based on decades of the rules-based international order and the harmonious globalization boom.

2022-03-01 16:52

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