Chinas property loan sector is witnessing a notable decline with outstanding loans hitting 5195 trillion at the end of 2025 a 16 decrease from the previous year as reported by the central bank on Tuesday
"A consistent stream of new supply is vital."
B.C. home prices at risk of 27% jump by 2032 due to delayed construction | Urbanized dailyhive.comIN OUR VIEW: Construction and housing drives economy langleyadvancetimes.com
President Lee Jae Myung vowed on Tuesday to ease excessive capital inflows into the real estate market, warning that the potential burst of asset bubbles could have far-reaching consequences on the broader economy. Lee made the remarks during a Cabinet meeting, as the government considers measures to curb the overheated housing market, including ending tax breaks for owners of multiple homes and increasing housing supply in the Seoul metropolitan area. "We must correct the distorted allocation of resources that is abnormally concentrated in the real estate market," Lee said. "Excessive expansion of a nonproductive real estate market inevitably fuels bubbles, which could undermine growth potential and deal a serious blow to the overall economy." Lee said South Korea should learn from the painful experience of Japan's so-called "lost 30 years," referring to the prolonged economic stagnation that followed its inability to rein in a real estate bubble in the 1990s. "To avoid such difficulties, (the government) must consistently and steadily push forward practical measures," he said. "We shou
The Bank of Korea (BOK) ranked 39th worldwide in terms of gold reserves, as the central bank has refrained from additional gold purchases since 2013 despite active buying by its global peers, data showed Tuesday. According to a report by the World Gold Council, the BOK held 104.4 metric tons of gold at the end of 2025, ranking 39th among central banks worldwide, down one notch from a year earlier. When holdings by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Central Bank (ECB) are included, South Korea's position effectively falls to 41st. The United States held the world's largest gold reserves at 8,133.5 tons, followed by Germany with 3,350.3 tons, Italy 2,451.9 tons, France 2,437 tons, Russia 2,326.5 tons and China 2,305.4 tons. South Korea's total foreign exchange reserves stood at US$430.7 billion as of end-November, ranking ninth in the world. Gold accounted for 3.2 percent of the total, placing the country near the bottom globally. The BOK last purchased gold in 2013, and its global ranking has since declined steadily from 32nd in 2013 to 33rd in 2018, 34th in 2021, 38th
President Lee Jae Myung, right, shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump after gifting him a replica of a Silla-era gold crown at the Gyeongju National Museum in North Gyeongsang ahead of their bilateral summit on Oct. 29, 2025. [JOINT PRESS CORPS] A threat by U.S. President Donald Trump to reimpose 25 percent tariffs on Korean goods sent ripples through Korea’s auto industry on Tuesday, weighing on shares of major carmakers and raising concerns about future earnings. Industry officials who spoke to the JoongAng Ilbo said they were still assessing the situation and struggled to determine whether Trump’s remarks would lead to concrete policy action. Cars and auto parts are a cornerstone of Korea’s economy, accounting for about 15 percent of the country’s total exports, according to government estimates. Related ArticleHyundai, Kia's 2025 operating profit likely to drop despite record sales due to U.S. tariffsHyundai union moves to block humanoid robots on production linesTrump says he will not impose Greenland-related tariffs on 8 NATO alliesU.S. Supreme Court yet to deliver ruling on Trump's tariffs on Tuesday “This is a sudden development, and we are still trying to understand the details,” an auto industry official said. “It is difficult to predict what kind of action this could actually lead to.” Auto parts suppliers, including Hyundai Mobis, said they were somewhat insulated by their U.S. operations but remained vulnerable. “Increased local production gives us more flexibility,” a company official said. “Still, higher tariffs would inevitably hurt.” The Hyundai Motor and Kia logos are seen at the firms' headquarters in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Jan. 23, 2025. [NEWS1] The industry has painful experience with higher U.S. tariffs. When a 25 percent tariff was applied last year, top automakers Hyundai Motor and Kia saw their combined quarterly operating profit fall by about 2 trillion won ($1.38 billion). Analysts estimate that a 10 percentage point increase in tariffs would add about 3.1 trillion won in costs for Hyundai Motor and 2.2 trillion won for Kia. If the tariff hike is finalized, operating profit in 2026 could fall by 21 to 23 percent, according to brokerage forecasts. Senior executives at Hyundai Motor Group are monitoring the situation from abroad. Executive Chair Euisun Chung and Vice Chair Jang Jae-hoon are currently in Canada as part of a delegation supporting Korea's bid for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project, while Hyundai Motor President and CEO José Muñoz is believed to be in the United States. Industry officials said executives are expected to hold video conferences to discuss possible responses. Bloomberg interpreted Trump’s remarks as part of a broader pattern of pressuring allies through trade threats. In recent weeks, Trump has warned Canada that tariffs could rise to 100 percent if it signs agreements with China and has raised the prospect of asserting control over Greenland while floating tariff threats toward Europe. Coupang a possible source of friction The Coupang logo is seen on a delivery truck parked at the retail company's logistics center in Seoul on Dec. 29, 2025. [YONHAP] Trade experts in Seoul said the priority should be understanding Trump’s true intentions, noting that he did not specify when higher tariffs would take effect. Trump said in a post on Monday that the higher tariffs were a response to what he described as delays in Korea’s parliament in passing legislation required to implement a bilateral trade and investment deal signed last year. “Because the Korean Legislature hasn’t enacted our Historic Trade Agreement, which is their prerogative, I am hereby increasing South Korean TARIFFS on Autos, Lumber, Pharma, and all other Reciprocal TARIFFS, from 15% to 25%," he wrote in a Truth Social Post. Kim Tae-hwang, a professor of international trade at Myongji University, said the remarks appeared deliberately vague. “Since [he] did not specify a deadline for imposing tariffs, this seems more like a remark thrown out as pressure,” Kim said. “Given his reference to the National Assembly being ‘passive,’ it is also possible that he was indirectly expressing dissatisfaction with Korea’s regulation of digital platforms such as Coupang.” The uncertainty alone could weigh on the auto industry, according to Min Kyoung-doug, a professor of mechanical engineering at Seoul National University. “If U.S. tariffs on Korean automobiles rise, higher prices are inevitable, which would hurt profitability,” Min said. “Even if it is not yet clear whether a 25 percent tariff will be imposed, the uncertainty itself is a negative factor.” U.S. President Donald Trump said he will raise ′′TARIFFS on Autos, Lumber, Pharma, and all other Reciprocal TARIFFS, from 15% to 25%′′ in a post uploaded to Truth Social on Jan. 26. [SCREEN CAPTURE] Trump’s reference to a trade agreement that has not been legislated by Korea’s parliament has also drawn scrutiny, as the arrangement was not designed as a formal treaty and does not require legislative approval under its original framework. After a bilateral summit in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, on Oct. 29 last year, Korea and the United States released a joint fact sheet on Nov. 13, 2025, outlining agreements in security and trade. Under the arrangement, Korea pledged $350 billion in investment in the United States in exchange for lower tariffs on Korean automobiles, along with U.S. support or approval for uranium enrichment, spent nuclear fuel reprocessing and the introduction of nuclear-powered submarines. The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on strategic investment on Nov. 14, agreeing to retroactively apply tariff reductions to Nov. 1, the month in which related legislation was submitted to Korea’s parliament. That legislation remains pending. Prof. Kim said the agreement's structure makes it unlikely that parliamentary ratification alone is the issue. “From the outset, the two countries proceeded through a fact sheet and an MOU rather than a treaty requiring mutual ratification,” he said. He added that Washington has previously raised objections to Korea’s revisions to its information and communications network law and to proposed legislation regulating online platforms. "When [U.S.] Vice President JD Vance met Prime Minister Kim Min-seok during his visit to Washington, he raised questions about Coupang’s data breach. With a Fair Trade Commission decision on Coupang approaching, Washington may be using trade pressure as leverage," he said. Auto stocks slide on tariff threat A screen in Hana Bank's trading room in central Seoul shows the Kospi and Kosdaq indexes and dollar-won exchange rate on Jan. 27. [YONHAP] Trump’s remarks also weighed on Korean auto stocks. Hyundai Motor shares fell as much as 3.55 percent shortly after the market opened before trimming losses to trade down 1.22 percent at 485,000 won as of 9:50 a.m. Kia shares slid as much as 5.99 percent before narrowing losses to trade down 3.03 percent at 150,500 won. Lim Eun-young, an analyst at Samsung Securities, said the remarks appeared aimed at pressuring Seoul rather than signaling an immediate policy shift. “Because no implementation date for the 25 percent tariffs was specified, this looks more like a negotiating tactic,” Lim said. “More than half of expectations for profit growth at Hyundai Motor and Kia this year depend on tariff reductions, so the comments could weigh on investor sentiment.” Hyundai Motor Group shares have recently risen on optimism following the unveiling of its humanoid robot Atlas at CES 2026. Lim said the tariff issue was unlikely to fully offset that momentum. “Expectations surrounding humanoid robotics are unlikely to be completely erased by this issue,” she said. Some analysts said the tariff threat would ultimately prove temporary. Kim Joon-sung, an analyst at Meritz Securities, said the core of the tariff negotiations had already been settled at the presidential level. “As Trump himself acknowledged, the tariff agreement between Korea and the United States has already been concluded between the two presidents,” Kim said. “Even if procedural issues remain in the National Assembly, resolving them is ultimately a matter of time.” This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.BY KO SUK-HYUN, NAM YOON-SEO [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]
• Says gains stemmed from improved compliance, better data use, digital tools, disciplined enforcement, not arbitrary actions •Declares customs to institutionalise procedural reforms that reduce clearance times, increase transparency, eliminate
Stria Lithium Inc. (CVE:SRA – Get Free Report) shares traded down 21.1% on Monday . The stock traded as low as C$0.56 and last traded at C$0.56. 195,448 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 214% from the average session volume of 62,248 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.71. Stria Lithium Price [...]
Stock market today: Nifty50 and BSE Sensex, the Indian equity benchmarks, dropped in opening trade on Tuesday. While Nifty50 was near 25,000, BSE Sensex was down over 170 points.
Morgan Stanley said that despite the stock's nearly 40% underperformance over the past six months, downside risks remain.
Brokerages see UltraTech Cement as well positioned to benefit from demand recovery, operating leverage and scale-driven efficiencies, keeping the stock firmly among their preferred picks in the cement...
Strong copper, iron ore, lithium and gold prices have seen BHP top CBA’s market value, with number two miner Rio Tinto also closing in on Australia’s largest bank.