{"id":65323,"date":"2026-07-24T02:38:16","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T06:38:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-market-update-uk-retail-surges-south-korea-tightens-etf-rules-amid-semiconductor-volatility\/65323\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T02:38:16","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T06:38:16","slug":"global-market-update-uk-retail-surges-south-korea-tightens-etf-rules-amid-semiconductor-volatility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-market-update-uk-retail-surges-south-korea-tightens-etf-rules-amid-semiconductor-volatility\/65323\/","title":{"rendered":"Global Market Update: UK Retail Surges, South Korea Tightens ETF Rules Amid Semiconductor Volatility"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-market-update-uk-retail-surges-south-korea-tightens-etf-rules-amid-semiconductor-volatility\/65323\/#Key_Takeaways\" >Key Takeaways<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-market-update-uk-retail-surges-south-korea-tightens-etf-rules-amid-semiconductor-volatility\/65323\/#UK_Retail_Sector_Defies_Expectations_in_Q2\" >UK Retail Sector Defies Expectations in Q2<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-market-update-uk-retail-surges-south-korea-tightens-etf-rules-amid-semiconductor-volatility\/65323\/#South_Korea_Cracks_Down_on_Leveraged_ETF_Speculation\" >South Korea Cracks Down on Leveraged ETF Speculation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-market-update-uk-retail-surges-south-korea-tightens-etf-rules-amid-semiconductor-volatility\/65323\/#Bond_Markets_and_Oil_Prices_Seek_Equilibrium\" >Bond Markets and Oil Prices Seek Equilibrium<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-market-update-uk-retail-surges-south-korea-tightens-etf-rules-amid-semiconductor-volatility\/65323\/#Ukraines_Military_Leadership_Overhaul\" >Ukraine\u2019s Military Leadership Overhaul<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/global-market-update-uk-retail-surges-south-korea-tightens-etf-rules-amid-semiconductor-volatility\/65323\/#Confusion_and_Volatility_in_Memory_Markets\" >Confusion and Volatility in Memory Markets<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Takeaways\"><\/span>Key Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>UK retail sales volumes unexpectedly rose 1.0% in June 2026<\/strong>, significantly outperforming economist forecasts of a 0.3% decline.<\/li>\n<li><strong>South Korea&#39;s Financial Services Commission (FSC)<\/strong> fast-tracked new regulations for <strong>leveraged ETFs<\/strong>, requiring a <strong>30 million won ($20,437)<\/strong> cash deposit starting July 31.<\/li>\n<li><strong>U.S. Treasury yields edged lower<\/strong> as global <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/energy\/crude-oil\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"12\" title=\"Crude oil\">oil prices<\/a> showed signs of stabilization following a spike toward <strong>$100 per barrel<\/strong> fueled by Middle East tensions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ukraine appointed Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi<\/strong> as the new commander-in-chief, signaling a strategic shift away from Soviet-era bureaucratic military structures.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Panic selling hit South Korean chipmakers<\/strong> following a series of conflicting reports and &quot;fake news&quot; regarding Morgan Stanley\u2019s (<a href=\"\/stock\/MS\">MS<\/a>) outlook on the memory sector.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"UK_Retail_Sector_Defies_Expectations_in_Q2\"><\/span>UK Retail Sector Defies Expectations in Q2<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>British retail sales volumes grew by <strong>0.6% in the second quarter of 2026<\/strong>, driven by a strong performance in June. The <strong>1.0% monthly increase in June<\/strong> was largely attributed to a sustained heatwave and aggressive promotions by online retailers. Non-food stores, particularly <strong>department stores<\/strong> and <strong>telecoms retailers<\/strong>, saw significant gains as consumers purchased outdoor goods, fans, and mobile devices.<\/p>\n<p>The Office for National Statistics (ONS) noted that <strong>online sales<\/strong> remained a primary driver of growth. While consumer confidence has been under pressure, the combination of fine weather and discounting appeared to unlock pent-up demand. However, automotive fuel sales lagged, falling over the quarter as high energy costs continued to impact household budgets.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"South_Korea_Cracks_Down_on_Leveraged_ETF_Speculation\"><\/span>South Korea Cracks Down on Leveraged ETF Speculation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The South Korean government has accelerated the implementation of stricter rules for <strong>single-stock leveraged ETFs<\/strong> to curb extreme market swings. Originally slated for August, the new rules will now take effect on <strong>July 31, 2026<\/strong>. Retail investors will be required to maintain a minimum cash deposit of <strong>30 million won<\/strong>, up from the previous 10 million won, and can no longer use stocks or bonds as substitute collateral.<\/p>\n<p>The move follows intense volatility in ETFs linked to major technology firms like Samsung Electronics (<a href=\"\/stock\/005930.KS\">005930.KS<\/a>) and SK Hynix (<a href=\"\/stock\/000660.KS\">000660.KS<\/a>). Regulators are concerned that the high concentration of retail capital in these 2x leveraged products is exacerbating price drops in the broader <strong>KOSPI<\/strong> index. Brokerages that fail to update their systems by the deadline will be forced to suspend new transactions for these products.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bond_Markets_and_Oil_Prices_Seek_Equilibrium\"><\/span>Bond Markets and Oil Prices Seek Equilibrium<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>U.S. Treasury yields retreated slightly on Friday as the energy market looked to stabilize. The <strong>10-year Treasury yield<\/strong> had recently approached its 2026 peak as <strong>Brent crude<\/strong> neared <strong>$100 a barrel<\/strong>, sparking fears of a renewed inflationary spiral. <em>Traders are closely monitoring the Federal Reserve&#39;s next move, with the probability of a rate hike next week currently sitting near 25%.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>While oil prices remain elevated due to ongoing naval blockades in the Middle East, a brief pause in the rally has provided some relief to the fixed-income market. Investors are pivoting their focus toward upcoming Big Tech earnings from Alphabet (<a href=\"\/stock\/GOOGL\">GOOGL<\/a>) and Tesla (<a href=\"\/stock\/TSLA\">TSLA<\/a>), which are expected to set the tone for risk appetite in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ukraines_Military_Leadership_Overhaul\"><\/span>Ukraine\u2019s Military Leadership Overhaul<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In a major reorganization of its armed forces, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has named <strong>Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi<\/strong> as commander-in-chief. Drapatyi, 43, is tasked with modernizing the military&#39;s command structure, which critics argue has remained too reliant on rigid, Soviet-style centralization. <em>The appointment has received near-universal support among rank-and-file soldiers who value Drapatyi&#39;s reputation for taking personal responsibility for operational failures.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The leadership change comes amid public protests following the dismissal of the popular former Defense Minister. Drapatyi is expected to prioritize <strong>decentralized command<\/strong> and the rapid integration of <strong>drone technology<\/strong>, moving away from the traditional frontal assaults that have led to high casualty rates.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Confusion_and_Volatility_in_Memory_Markets\"><\/span>Confusion and Volatility in Memory Markets<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>South Korean semiconductor stocks faced a turbulent trading session following rumors regarding Morgan Stanley (<a href=\"\/stock\/MS\">MS<\/a>) analyst <strong>Shawn Kim<\/strong>. Reports circulated in Korea suggesting Kim had issued a new bearish note on memory chips, triggering a wave of &quot;panic selling.&quot; It was later revealed that one of the widely shared reports was actually an edited version of a 2022 note, intended to deceive investors.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the &quot;fake news&quot; incident, underlying sentiment remains cautious. Some sources indicate that while the North American team at Morgan Stanley remains constructive, local analysts in Asia have expressed concerns about a potential <strong>oversupply of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM)<\/strong>. The confusion highlights the extreme sensitivity of the Korean market to analyst commentary regarding the AI-driven chip cycle.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways UK retail sales volumes unexpectedly rose 1.0% in June 2026, significantly outperforming economist forecasts of a 0.3% decline. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":50383,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"rank_math_schema_Article":[],"rank_math_focus_keyword":[],"rank_math_description":[],"financial_data_references":[],"stock_symbols_mentioned":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[5012],"tags":[8462,4457,11565,4670,16163,19273,5027,5042,5136,5400,5423,6052,6370],"class_list":["post-65323","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-breaking-news","tag-sk-hynix-000660-ks-stock-000660-ks","tag-oil-prices","tag-fsc","tag-hbm","tag-samsung-electronics-005930-ks-stock-005930-ks","tag-leveraged-etfs","tag-semiconductors","tag-ukraine","tag-south-korea","tag-retail-sales","tag-uk-economy","tag-us-treasuries","tag-ons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65323","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65323"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65323\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65323"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65323"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65323"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}