CHINA STATE PLANNER and MOFCOM said the 15th Five-Year Plan to expand consumption links social welfare with demand-side stimulus, targeting upgrades in elderly care, childcare, cultural & tourism and healthcare to raise household consumption. Policy measures prioritize expanding high‑quality supply, broadening platform channels and strengthening support and guarantees. The plan also emphasizes reform and innovation to promote services consumption, develop digital consumption, advance locally tai

US military maritime blockade against Iranian ports and coastal areas has begun to take effect.

Korean sell-side is polarized on memory names: several houses trimmed SK Hynix forecasts and targets while others raised them citing sustained price strength. BNK Investment & Securities downgraded SK Hynix to neutral and cut its target to KRW1.85m, saying growth tied to hyperscale orders has faded and momentum is slowing. Hyundai Motor Securities now sees SK Hynix Q2 revenue and operating profit about 3.1% and 1.6% below prior estimates, citing weaker-than-expected DRAM bit growth. Korea Investment Securities expects SK Hynix Q2 to miss market expectations by roughly 8% as a higher HBM mix has restrained ASP upside, but retains a buy rating. Mirae Asset cut SK Hynix Q2 operating profit by 12% to KRW6.23 trln (from KRW7.07 trln) and keeps buys on Samsung (PT KRW550k) and SK Hynix (PT KRW4.2m). Kiwoom cut Samsung’s target to KRW390k from KRW430k (-9.3%), warning that chip-driven price increases for PCs and phones could curb future memory procurement. On the bullish side, Morningstar raised targets to KRW330k for Samsung and KRW2.4m for SK Hynix, citing DRAM/NAND prices running above expectations and strong pricing power for Korean memory makers. KB Securities raised SK Hynix’s target to KRW4.2m and projects operating profit of KRW290 trln and KRW478 trln over the next two years. SK Securities expects semiconductor supply tightness through 2027 and says demand remains robust, arguing slower price gains do not imply a cyclical collapse. Bernstein maintains outperform ratings on both Samsung and SK Hynix and remains constructive on semiconductors and the earnings-upgrade cycle.