- A deadly outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) forced South Korea's central bank to cut interest rates on Thursday as authorities reported 14 new cases.
- The 25 bps cut to a record-low 1.5% is the country's fourth rate reduction in less than a year and the seventh since the current easing cycle began three years ago.
- South Korea has already reported 122 cases and nine deaths due to the virus, and many fear Hong Kong might be next.
- ETFs: EWY, KF, KEF, KORU, DXKW, FKO, HKOR, DBKO, QKOR