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Seoul shares open higher on tech gains
South Korean stocks opened higher Wednesday as large-cap tech shares gathered ground following solid gains on Wall Street. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 18.41 points, or 0.7 percent, to 2,655.63 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, US shares finished markedly higher as investors welcomed news that President Donald Trump had extended the deadline for imposing aggressive tariffs on the European Union. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 1.78 percent, while the
May 28, 2025 -
Seoul shares end lower on tech losses, tariff concerns
South Korean stocks finished lower Tuesday as investors moved to lock in profits from recent gains amid lingering concerns about the United States' tariff scheme. The local currency fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 7.18 points, or 0.27 percent, to close at 2,637.22. Trade volume was moderate at 315.52 million shares worth 7.81 trillion won ($5.71 billion), with losers beating winners 514 to 361. Foreigners and institutions sold a net 75.92 billion
May 27, 2025 -
Bank stocks rally as stronger won boosts capital ratios
Shares of South Korea’s largest financial service providers — Hana, Woori, KB, and Shinhan — surged Tuesday, driven by expectations of stronger shareholder returns supported by improved capital adequacy. Hana Financial Group shares rose as high as 70,700 won ($57.57) during intraday trading, marking the highest price since its transition to a holding company in December 2005. The stock later trimmed some gains and closed at 70,100 won. Woori Financial Group also saw its shares hit a record high
May 27, 2025 -
Seoul shares open lower on tech losses
South Korean stocks opened lower Tuesday, led by losses in tech shares following sharp gains in the previous session. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 3.4 points, or 0.13 percent, to fall to 2,641 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The index rose more than 2 percent Monday, driven by gains in large-cap chip and battery shares, after US President Donald Trump extended the deadline for imposing aggressive tariffs on the European Union. U.S. stock markets were closed Monday in
May 27, 2025 -
Seoul shares rise over 2% on EU tariff postponement, tech gains
South Korean stocks finished sharply higher Monday, driven by gains in tech shares, as investor sentiment was buoyed by US President Donald Trump's extension of the deadline for imposing sweeping tariffs on the European Union. The local currency rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 52.31 points, or 2.02 percent, to close at 2,644.4, ending a two-day losing streak. It marked the highest level since Feb. 24, when the index finished at 2,645.27. Trade vo
May 26, 2025 -
Won hits 7-month high, paving way for BOK rate cut
The Korean currency climbed into the 1,360 won range against the US dollar on Monday, gaining value to reach a seven-month high at the closing quote. With the won strengthening, the Bank of Korea is expected to carry out a rate cut this week. The local currency was quoted at 1,364.4 per dollar as the daytime market closed Monday, appreciating by 7.1 won from the previous after-hours trading session. It was the strongest closing value of the won against the dollar since October. The won remained
May 26, 2025 -
Bitcoin surges to new high
Bitcoin, the world’s biggest cryptocurrency, reached a record high of $110,000 on Thursday, backed by growing industry optimism. Trading denominated in Korean won neared its recent peak as well, hovering at around 150 million won ($108,700) as of press time. Regulatory developments in the US stoked industry optimism that the country will shortly agree on its first regulations for digital assets, boosting investor sentiment for the cryptocurrency. According to global price-tracking platform CoinM
May 22, 2025 -
Seoul shares gain nearly 1% on bio, heavy industry gains
South Korean stocks finished nearly 1 percent higher Wednesday to snap a two-day fall, as investors bolstered bio, heavy industry and other blue chips despite overnight losses on Wall Street. The local currency gained against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 23.78 points, or 0.91 percent, to close at 2,625.58. Trade volume was moderate at 367 million shares worth 7.34 trillion won ($5.29 billion), with gainers outnumbering decliners 537 to 334. Foreign invest
May 21, 2025 -
Seoul shares open higher on chip, bio gains
South Korean stocks opened higher Wednesday, as investors scooped up semiconductor, bio and other blue chips despite overnight losses on Wall Street. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 22.41 points, or 0.86 percent, to 2,624.21 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, all major U.S. stock indices fell, taking a pause following recent Wall Street gains amid a lack of market-moving catalysts. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.27 percent, and the S&P 500 dropped 0.39
May 21, 2025 -
Seoul shares fall on US credit downgrade jitters
South Korean stocks closed markedly lower Monday as investors grew cautious over the impact of global credit rating agency Moody's downgrade of the United States' credit rating. The local currency weakened against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 23.45 points, or 0.89 percent, to close at 2,603.42. Trade volume was thin at 309.7 million shares worth 6.69 trillion won ($4.79 billion), with losers beating winners 642 to 240. The index opened lower and extended it
May 19, 2025 -
Foreign investors return to Kospi on stronger won
Foreign investors, have taken a break from their massive selling spree this month, scooping up shares onthe South Korean benchmark Kospi worth roughly 1.5 trillion won ($1.07 billion) in trading up to Friday. According to data provided by the country's main bourse operator, Korea Exchange, offshore investors net bought shares amounting to 1.47 trillion won on the Kospi from May 2 to 16. Outside of May 2, when foreigners offloaded shares worth 167 billion won, they were net buyers on the market f
May 19, 2025 -
Seoul shares open lower following US sovereign rating downgrade
South Korean stocks opened lower Monday amid concerns over the impact of the United States' sovereign credit rating downgrade on the global market and the economy. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 10.2 points, or 0.39 percent, to 2,616.67 in the first 15 minutes of trading. On Friday (US time), global credit ratings agency Moody's slashed the US' sovereign rating by one notch from Aaa to Aa1, citing concerns about the country's ballooning deficit and rising interest costs. In
May 19, 2025 -
Korean won rises to 6-month high over trade deal fears
The Korean won’s value against the dollar reached a six-month high Friday as traders price in the assumption that the country will be pressured to push for the gain of its currency to reach a trade deal with the US. The won stood at 1,389.6 won per dollar as of daytime trading closing Friday, appreciating by 4.9 won from the previous session. It was the strongest level of won per dollar as of daytime closing since hitting 1,386.4 won per dollar on Nov. 8. After opening at 1,397 won, pricing in t
May 16, 2025 -
S. Korea's ATS secures 20% market share
South Korea's first alternative stock exchange Nextrade has successfully settled down, taking up an average of 20 percent market share — double its initial target. According to the company on Friday, its daily trading volume stood at 6.05 trillion won ($4.34 billion) on Wednesday, reaching the highest since the service went live in March. Stocks worth 4.21 trillion won were traded during the main market hours, while transactions during the premarket and after-market hours amounted to 1.83 trilli
May 16, 2025 -
Foreigners’ stock exodus continues in April
Foreign investors offloaded stocks worth 13 trillion won ($9.3 billion) on the local stock market in April, surpassing the records set during the COVID-19 pandemic and the global financial crisis. According to the watchdog Financial Supervisory Service on Friday, offshore investors sold stocks amounting to a net 13.59 trillion won on the local stock market last month, continuing the nine-month-long sell-off move. The amount surpasses the 13.45 trillion won record set in March 2020 during the COV
May 16, 2025