Trump and International Affairs: The Future of the US, China, and Korea

1. Korean Battery Companies and China's Strategy

– Chinese Investment by Korean Battery Companies

Korean battery companies entered China several years ago and established factories.
Batteries produced were not installed in Chinese electric vehicles due to Chinese government policies.

– China's Battery Rise

Utilized Korean companies as hostages to secure battery technology.
Formed a competitive structure with Korea through the development of its own battery technology.

– The Future of the Korean Battery Industry

Safety and quality issues with Chinese batteries remain unresolved.
Cooperation with the United States could provide new opportunities for the Korean battery industry.

2. America’s Global Strategy: Panama Canal and Greenland

– Panama Canal and America’s Interests

A key logistics area connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
The United States returned it to Panama at the end of the 20th century, but China's influence has recently increased.
The United States suggests the possibility of military intervention to curb China's influence.

– Greenland and the Arctic Route

Emerged as a strategic location connecting Europe and North America with the opening of the Arctic route.
China is attempting to expand its influence by attempting to mine minerals.
The United States is trying to strategically secure Greenland.

3. Trump's Foreign Policy and NATO (NATO)

– NATO and America's Burden

Trump demanded that NATO member states increase defense spending.
Strategy to reduce the burden on the United States by pressuring for increased NATO defense spending.

– Possibility of Trump's Strong Measures

Possible use of economic pressure cards such as imposing a 25% tariff.
Pressuring European countries by even mentioning the possibility of withdrawing from NATO.

4. US-Korea Relations: Shipbuilding Industry and Military Cooperation

– Strengths of the Korean Shipbuilding Industry and America's Needs

The core of the US Navy's strength is a strong shipbuilding industry.
Cooperation with the Korean shipbuilding industry is necessary as the US shipbuilding industry is in a slump.
Korea may support the production of warships at US shipyards.

– Reduced Possibility of USFK Withdrawal

If US warships are produced in Korea, the possibility of using the USFK withdrawal card decreases.
Need to amend laws to utilize shipyards in the United States.

5. US-China Hegemony Competition and Korea’s Choice

– US-China Trade War and Trump's Strategy

Trump strongly checks China and changes the global economic structure.
Using tariff policies to combat China's unfair trade practices.

– Korea's Choice and Strategic Response

Need to diversify the past export structure centered on China to the United States and Europe.
Reduce tariff damage by strategically cooperating with the United States.
Need for negotiations utilizing Korea's strengths, such as the shipbuilding and battery industries.

6. Future Prospects and Opportunities for the Korean Economy

– Creating Opportunities Through Cooperation with the United States

The Korean shipbuilding and battery industries can grow by cooperating with the United States.
Need for new market entry strategies following the reorganization of NATO and international organizations.

– Seeking Economic Breakthroughs for Korea

Reducing dependence on the Chinese market and strengthening cooperation with the United States.
Expanding Korea's role amid global economic changes.

< Summary >

China has grown its own battery industry by utilizing Korean battery companies.
The United States is curbing China's influence in the Panama Canal and Greenland.
Trump is trying to reduce America's burden by pressuring for increased NATO defense spending.
Korea's shipbuilding industry may play a key role in maintaining US naval power.
In the midst of the US-China hegemony competition, Korea must seek economic breakthroughs through strategic cooperation with the United States.

[More…]

*YouTube Source: [Jun’s economy lab]

– 한국은 돈 많은 국가? 트럼프를 조심하세요(ft.최병일 교수 2부)

U.S. Stock Market Overview and Analysis of Major Corporate Performance

1. U.S. Stock Market Overview

The U.S. stock market showed an upward trend as former President Trump postponed the tariff decisions on Mexico and Canada by a month and expectations for trade negotiations with China increased.
In particular, all three major indexes closed higher, indicating a positive flow.

2. Major Corporate Earnings Announcements

2.1. Google (GOOGL) Earnings Announcement and Stock Price Decline

Q4 Earnings Per Share (EPS): $2.15 (Market expectation $2.13 → Exceeded expectations)
Q4 Revenue: $96.47 billion (Market expectation $96.56 billion → Slightly lower than expected)
Google Cloud revenue was lower than market expectations, leading to a sharp drop in stock price
- Q4 revenue growth slowed to 12% (Year-over-year decrease)
- The stock price fell nearly 7% in after-hours trading due to falling short of market expectations
Google Stock Price Trend
- Poor performance in Q2 → Stock price fell to $147
- Better-than-expected performance in Q3 → Stock price rose to $207
- Poor performance in Q4 → Short-term volatility expected

2.2. AMD (AMD) Earnings Announcement and Stock Price Reaction

Q4 EPS: $1.09 (Market expectation $1.08 → Exceeded expectations)
Revenue: Higher than market expectations, but data center revenue was disappointing
Stock Price Reaction: Down 5% in after-hours trading
- Continued downward trend since the March high ($227)
- Sustained high volatility

2.3. Palantir (PLTR) Earnings Announcement and Surge

Q4 Revenue: $827.5 million (36% increase year-over-year, exceeding market expectations of $776 million)
Earnings Per Share (EPS): 14 cents (Exceeded market expectations of 11 cents)
Stock Price Reaction:
- Stock price surged 28% due to strong performance, briefly surpassing $106
- The company is strengthening its position as an AI-related enterprise
Wall Street Target Price Outlook
- Bank of America: Upgraded from $90 → $125
- UBS: Upgraded from $80 → $100

2.4. Meta (META) Continues to Rise

Q4 Revenue: Increased by more than 20%, exceeding market expectations
Stock Price Trend: Continuously breaking new highs since the earnings announcement

3. Major Issues in the U.S. Stock Market

Trump's Tariff Policy
- Tariffs on Mexico and Canada have been postponed by one month
- Uncertainty still exists regarding tariffs on China
- Market concerns persist about the tariff measures scheduled for April 1st
Bitcoin Decline
- Trading Price: Around $97,000
- Volatility is high, but long-term upward trend potential remains

4. Other Stock Trends

Tesla (TSLA): Up 2% → $392
- Potential for rebound after short-term correction
Nvidia (NVDA): Up 1% → $118
- Still high growth expectations as a leading company in the AI industry
Apple (AAPL): Up 2% → $232
- Maintaining a stable trend despite risks in the Chinese market
AMC Entertainment (AMC): Up more than 2%
- Impact of upward revision by analysis agencies
Ferrari (RACE): Surged 7% after announcing a 21% increase in net profit

< Summary >

The U.S. stock market rose due to Trump's tariff policies and expectations for trade negotiations with China.

Google fell 7% as Q4 earnings fell short of market expectations due to poor cloud revenue.
AMD also fell 5% in after-hours trading due to poor data center performance.

On the other hand, Palantir surged 28% with an earnings surprise, strengthening its position in the AI industry.
Meta is also continuing its rally to new highs based on strong performance.

Major tech companies such as Tesla, Nvidia, and Apple showed signs of recovery, and Bitcoin is maintaining high volatility.