Bear

• South Korea's KOSPI index exited bear market territory following a 5% jump on Friday, recovering from a 20% decline from its June peak. • Despite recent volatility, the index remains the world's top-performing market with a significant 76% year-to-date gain. • Goldman Sachs maintains a high conviction in the market, raising its 12-month target to 12,000 and forecasting 300% earnings growth by 2026.

• South Korea's KOSPI index rebounded nearly 4% in early trading on Thursday, July 9, peaking at 7,539. • This recovery follows a sharp 5.35% plunge on Wednesday that had dropped the index to 7,246.79 and pushed it into bear market territory. • The surge is significant as it lifts the index back above the 20% threshold, effectively escaping the bear market designation.

• South Korea's KOSPI index has entered a bear market as investors sell off major chip stocks despite strong fundamental performance. • The crash occurred even as Samsung issued record profit guidance and SK Hynix saw strong demand for its $28 billion US listing. • Market analysts suggest the decline is not due to a drop in AI demand, but rather because the high expectations for AI growth were already priced into stock valuations.

• Asian stock markets declined as a deepening selloff in AI chips pressured regional indices, pushing South Korea's KOSPI close to a bear market. • While Chinese equities remained largely flat, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng and Singapore’s FTSE Straits Times bucked the trend, rising nearly 3% and 1% respectively. • Inflation data from Thailand, Taiwan, and the Philippines showed easing headline pressures, though firmer core inflation in the Philippines suggests a potential 25-basis-point rate hike on August 27.

• Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated on July 3 that Israel has become an "unbearable burden" to humanity, intensifying diplomatic tensions. • Fidan called for the international community to impose sanctions against Israel, citing the ongoing humanitarian crisis and conflict. • This escalation occurs just ahead of a scheduled NATO summit, highlighting the growing rift between Turkey and Israel within Western security frameworks.

Cross-party group writes to ministers of concerns children’s show contains unsubtle ‘propaganda content’UK politics live – latest updatesA cartoon for preschoolers depicting the adventures of a small girl and a retired circus bear may seem an unlikely source of parliamentary concern.Yet a cross-party group of MPs has written to ministers urging them to examine whether they can stop the globally popular Masha and the Bear from being broadcast in the UK, alleging it amounts to a cuddly form of Russian propaganda. Continue reading...

• The Munich Film Festival's CineCoPro pitch showcased a diverse array of Nordic-flavored projects, including superhero stories, political dramas, and family films, all seeking funding and production partners. • Key projects highlighted include the German-Danish coming-of-age drama *Bjørn & Matthias* and *Morphs (WT)*, a North Sea island drama marking the feature debut of Grimme Award-winner Hilke Rönnfeldt. • Other notable entries included *Bolliver*, a Norwegian family film centered on a performing teddy bear, illustrating the wide range of genres being developed.