Financial Statements - Finance World

Editorial illustration of a corporate balance sheet above layers of lease contracts, credit lines, buildings and vehicles representing hidden financial obligations

The Debt You Cannot See: Why Corporate Leverage Can Be Higher Than It Looks

July 23, 2026 Finance World 0

A new Federal Reserve paper shows how leases and borrowing between reporting dates can make corporate leverage look lower than it really is. Here is what investors should check.

South Korea’s AI Stock-Market Boom Meets Its Concentration Risk

Korea’s semiconductor-led rally rests on strong exports and earnings, but extreme concentration, leverage and elevated expectations have made the KOSPI unusually vulnerable to sharp reversals.
Japanese Equities at a Turning Point: Reform, AI and the Yen

Japan’s equity story remains supported by corporate reform and AI demand, but a weak yen, higher rates and elevated expectations are making the market more selective.
Singapore’s EQDP Is Deepening the Market—But Capital Alone Will Not Fix It

Singapore’s expanded S$6.5 billion Equity Market Development Programme is bringing institutional capital, research attention and liquidity to local equities. Its lasting impact, however, depends on whether companies improve governance, capital allocation and earnings quality.
The Fed Held Rates, but Three Hawkish Dissents Changed the Message

The Federal Reserve left rates unchanged, but three officials wanted an increase. That unusually hawkish split makes the pause more conditional than the headline suggests.
Five Takeaways From This Week’s Fed Meeting

The Fed held rates at 3.50%–3.75%, but a 9–3 vote revealed a sharper hawkish divide. Here are five takeaways for inflation, markets, borrowers and the September decision.

South Korea’s AI Stock-Market Boom Meets Its Concentration Risk

Japanese Equities at a Turning Point: Reform, AI and the Yen

Singapore’s EQDP Is Deepening the Market—But Capital Alone Will Not Fix It

The Fed Held Rates, but Three Hawkish Dissents Changed the Message

Five Takeaways From This Week’s Fed Meeting