World News

It is easy to misunderstand if you assume you will receive more immediately simply by seeing the news that the Earned Income Tax Credit and monthly rent deductions are being expanded. Since the details announced on August 19, 2026, are still the government's tax reform plan, you must examine the actual changes in criteria and the effective dates separately. The core of this reform plan lies in raising both the income threshold and the maximum payment amount for the Earned Income Tax Credit, while expanding the monthly rent tax credit limit to 12 million won per year. Although it also includes provisions to broaden the monthly rent deduction rate and IRP tax credit rate for young people, … Read more

The Nasdaq rose 5.191 TP3T over the week, while the KOSPI fell 5.11 TP3T during the same period. Investors who jumped into leverage and day trading while watching the U.S. stock market hit record highs are bound to wonder whether this diverging trend is merely a correction or the aftereffects of the strategies themselves. Looking at the market as of August 23, 2026, the problem is not limited to price declines alone. Concentration in specific stocks, margin trading and leveraged investing, the structure of daily leverage products, and signals regarding employment, inflation, and interest rates… Read more

If you are wondering by when you must sell your existing home ahead of the autumn moving season, you should first check whether the deadline for disposing of a temporary two-home ownership changes as of October 1, 2026. This is because the three-year period previously understood does not apply equally to all homes. The core of this amendment concerns cases where one switches homes located in designated adjustment areas. The special provision for temporary two-home ownership requires considering the location of the home as well as the timing of the contract, acquisition, and transfer, and the period uniformly becoming two years from October 1… Read more

If you own a home, you have likely heard the news that the calculation method for the Comprehensive Real Estate Tax will be completely reversed starting in 2027. According to the tax measures announced by the government this August, the assessment basis is shifting from the number of homes to their value; consequently, you could end up paying less than half of your current tax, or conversely, significantly more. In particular, the tax burden for those with joint ownership by spouses or non-residential homes could differ significantly from expectations. However, the policy… Read more

Since early August, the KOSPI has been exhibiting extreme volatility, skyrocketing by 171 TP3T in a single day only to plummet by more than 51 TP3T a few days later. Circuit breakers are being triggered repeatedly, and news outlets are warning of a "market crisis" day after day. Investors are confused; some buy blindly believing prices are low, while others sell their entire holdings out of fear. However, this extreme volatility is not merely fear. It is a phenomenon where massive selling by foreign investors clashes head-on with concentrated buying by retail investors, and semiconductor earnings… Read more

With the deadline for provisional tax returns approaching in August 2026, new rules that will significantly impact next year's capital gains tax have been finalized. According to the tax reform plan announced on August 3, the heavy capital gains tax system for multi-home owners will be temporarily eased starting in 2027; this is a crucial point that anyone filing a provisional return this year must be aware of. If you are currently planning to sell a home, you must accurately determine how the tax rates differ between 2026 and 2027, and when the easing will take effect. This is especially true for multi-home owners in designated adjustment areas… Read more

With the EV chasm dragging on, you may be wondering if secondary battery-related stocks can recover their earnings solely through demand from ESS and AI data centers. To answer upfront, while ESS is clearly a new growth engine, it is not a panacea capable of simultaneously boosting the profitability of all stocks. Starting from the second quarter of 2026, ESS shipments and orders from cell manufacturers increased, and demand for power backup for AI data centers also grew. However, after separating the effects of tax credits, exchange rates, and customs refunds, and determining whether a company actually translates into revenue from ESS, UPS, and BBU… Read more

“It is easy to assume that LG Energy Solution’s core business has already recovered simply by looking at the phrase ”turnaround to profitability in the second quarter.” To start with the conclusion, while the second quarter of 2026 results turned to an accounting profit, the core battery business—excluding AMPC—remained in the red, and the stock price outlook depends on the speed at which ESS growth translates into earnings. It is clear that ESS has emerged as a new growth axis amidst the continuing slowdown in electric vehicle battery demand. However, since the structure does not dictate that increased orders and revenue immediately translate into improved profit margins, … Read more

If you determine your investment direction based solely on expectations that the U.S. will cut interest rates, it is easy to miss the scenario where the benchmark rate remains unchanged while only long-term bond yields rise. The key point of the U.S. interest rate outlook for August 2026 is that expectations for a rate cut and a rise in long-term rates could occur simultaneously, as the Fed continues to freeze rates while remaining wary of inflation. While opinions in the market are divided regarding the timing of a rate cut, the Fed's criteria for judgment are clear. Whether core inflation has fallen sufficiently to the 2% target, … Read more

As August 2026 began, attention focused on the moves of LAFC and Son Heung-min grew even larger. This was because the away match against Vancouver followed immediately after his multi-goal performance and MVP award at the MLS All-Star Game, serving as a crucial test to see if his individual momentum would translate into team performance. To summarize the results, Son Heung-min scored against the Vancouver Whitecaps on August 2, but LAFC drew 1-1. Including the Vancouver match, he scored in four consecutive MLS league games; if the multi-goal performance at the All-Star Game on July 30 is included, it marks five consecutive official matches with a goal… Read more