UK consumer confidence improved but remained downbeat in July on the back of "calmer" geopolitical conditions and lower energy prices amid the US-Iran ceasefire, S&P Global said Monday.
The S&P Global UK Consumer Sentiment Index reached a four-month high of 43.4, up from 42.2 in June.
The household finance, spending sentiment, labor market sentiment, debt sentiment, and savings indices all rose during the month.
The South Korean government on Sunday unveiled the won internationalization roadmap designed to transition the won from a heavily regulated asset into a freely convertible currency.The plan includes building infrastructure for around-the-clock, location-free trading, according to a statement by the finance ministry on Monday.Authorities also pledged to maintain balanced risk management measures alongside the gradual push for internationalization.The joint effort involves the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Financial Services Commission, the Bank of Korea, the Financial Supervisory Service, and the Korea Securities Depository.
The brand value of Samsung Group, the parent group of Samsung Electronics (KRX:005930) and Samsung Biologics (KRX:207940), jumped 8.9% to $97.4 billion in 2026 from $89.4 billion in 2025, British consulting firm Brand Finance said in a Sunday report.The group ranked eighth in Brand Finance's ranking of top 100 tech companies globally.SK Hynix (KRX:000660) rose one place to 28th, LG Corp (KRX:003550) slipped eight spots to 44th, Coupang slipped one position to 49th, and Naver (KRX:035420) moved up five places to 95th, according to the report.Shares of Samsung Electronics fell more than 4%, while Samsung Biologics declined 3%. Shares of SK Hynix declined more than 4%, and those of Naver fell nearly 3%.
The People's Bank of China (PBOC) left its benchmark lending rates unchanged for the 14th consecutive month at its monthly fixing on Monday.This decision matched the consensus forecast tracked by Investing.com.The one-year loan prime rate (LPR), which serves as the benchmark for most corporate and household loans, was held at 3.00%.Meanwhile, the five-year LPR, the reference rate for residential mortgages, was maintained at 3.50%.