Most Popular
-
1
Contentious grain bill put directly to plenary meeting for vote
-
2
Yoon's approval rating plunges to all-time low
-
3
Will tug-of-war between doctors, government end soon?
-
4
Climate impacts set to cut 2050 global GDP by nearly a fifth
-
5
Trilateral talks acknowledge ‘serious’ slumps of won, yen
-
6
[Graphic News] More Koreans say they plan long-distance trips this year
-
7
[KH Explains] Hyundai's full hybrid edge to pay off amid slow transition to pure EVs
-
8
North Korea removes streetlights along cross-border roads with South
-
9
Russia's denial of entry of S. Korean national unrelated to bilateral ties: Seoul official
-
10
Farming households dip below 1m for first time in 2023
-
Seoul stocks open lower on virus concerns
South Korean stocks opened lower Wednesday as a spike in new coronavirus cases weighed on investor sentiment. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) fell 7.24 points, or 0.22 percent, to 3,235.95 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. Stocks got off to a weak start as South Korea reported a record number of daily coronavirus cases above 2,200, stoking concerns of a growing nationwide outbreak despite toughened restrictions. Market bellwether Samsung Electronics fell 0.87
Aug. 11, 2021
-
Banks' crypto transaction fee revenues rise 140%
South Korea‘s banks saw a sharp increase in transaction fees from cryptocurrency exchanges in the second quarter, despite heavy fluctuation in the cryptocurrency market. The three banks in partnership with cryptocurrency exchanges -- K bank, NH Nonghyup Bank, and Shinban Bank -- made a total of 16.9 billion won ($14.71 million) from the transaction fees of the four cryptocurrency exchanges they provide real name accounts for -- Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone and Korbit -- according to data co
Aug. 10, 2021
-
Krafton market debut disappoints
Krafton, the South Korean game maker behind global smash hit PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, suffered a disappointing market debut upon its landing on the country’s benchmark Kospi Tuesday, although it drew wide attention at home and abroad as the second largest in value in initial public offering market history here. Shares of Krafton closed at 454,000 won ($395.10), up 1.23 percent from its opening of 448,500 won determined between 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. in its first trading session.
Aug. 10, 2021
-
Seoul stocks down for 4th session amid virus concerns, profit-taking
South Korean stocks retreated for the fourth straight session Tuesday, as concerns over the spread of the new coronavirus turned investors risk-averse. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) slumped 17.23 points, or 0.53 percent, to close at 3,243.19 points. Trading volume was high at about 719 million shares worth some 21.4 trillion won ($18.6 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 647 to 214. Foreigners sold a net 638 billion w
Aug. 10, 2021
-
Naver to acquire 15% stake in Cafe24 in e-commerce push
South Korean internet giant Naver is poised to acquire a 15 percent stake in e-commerce solutions provider Cafe24 for 137.2 billion won ($119.4 million), filings showed Tuesday. Cafe24 plans to issue 3.3 million ordinary shares for the third-party rights offering to invite Naver as its new shareholder, according to filings submitted to the Financial Supervisory Service. In turn, Naver looks to acquire the stake by contributing its 310,300 treasury shares in kind, whose valuation matches newl
Aug. 10, 2021
-
Foreign investors' bond buying spree continues
Foreign investors have net purchased more bonds from January to July than in all of 2020, amid signs that Korean bonds are largely regarded as an attractive investment destination, data showed Tuesday. Foreign investors have net bought 83 trillion won ($72.2 billion) worth of Korean bonds -- including sovereign bonds, monetary stabilization bonds and bank debentures -- this year until July. The figure is higher than that of 2020, at 73 trillion won, according to data from the Korea Financial I
Aug. 10, 2021
-
Banks‘ revenues from crypto transaction fees more than double in Q2
South Korea‘s banks saw a sharp increase in transaction fees from cryptocurrency exchanges in the second quarter, despite heavy fluctuation in the cryptocurrency market. The three banks in partnership with cryptocurrency exchanges -- K bank, NH Nonghyup Bank, and Shinban Bank -- made a total of 16.9 billion won ($14.71 million) from the transaction fees of the four cryptocurrency exchanges they provide real name accounts for -- Upbit, Bithumb, Coinone and Korbit -- according to data
Aug. 10, 2021
-
FSC chief urges banking group heads to strengthen household debt control
Financial Services Commission Chairman Eun Sung-soo on Tuesday called on the heads of five major banking groups here to ramp up efforts to curb snowballing household debt. “A steep increase in household debt was inevitable for the real economy to minimize the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, but the growth pace of household debt has been too rapid, raising calls for tighter household debt control measures,” Eun said during a meeting held with chairmen from KB Fin
Aug. 10, 2021
-
KTB commits W550b to US real estate debt strategies
KTB Asset Management has closed a 550 billion won ($478.8 million) commitment to Bridge Debt Strategies Fund IV, a pooled investment vehicle mainly targeting securitized multifamily residential housing loans in the United States, the company said Tuesday. The Seoul-based asset manager added it has attracted capital commitments from eight undisclosed South Korean institutional investors, targeting annual returns of up to 11 percent from its fund-of-funds strategy. Bridge Debt Strategies Fund I
Aug. 10, 2021
-
Seoul stocks open lower on Wall Street losses
South Korean stocks opened lower Tuesday, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street over the resurgence of the new coronavirus and its delta variant. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) fell 4.68 points, or 0.14 percent, to 3,255.74 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. Stocks retreated amid concerns that the highly contagious delta variant may hamper the ailing global economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.3 percent, with the S&P 500 slipping 0.09 pe
Aug. 10, 2021
-
Edison to drum up private equity capital for SsangYong bid
South Korean electric bus maker Edison Motors has created a consortium with domestic private equity firms to acquire SsangYong Motors, a troubled Korean arm of Indian auto maker Mahindra & Mahindra, its Chief Executive Officer Kang Young-kwon said Monday. Edison, headquartered in Hamyang County, South Gyeongsang Province, signed a memorandum of understanding with its financial partners, including Korea Corporate Governance Improvement, Keystone Private Equity, as well as electric vehicle pa
Aug. 9, 2021
-
Seoul stocks down for 3rd day after choppy trading
South Korean stocks retreated for the third straight session Monday after choppy trading, as an estimate-beating improvement in US jobs data increased concerns about an early tapering. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) fell 9.94 points, or 0.3 percent, to close at 3,260.42 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 685 million shares worth some 15.5 trillion won ($13.5 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 647 to 208. For
Aug. 9, 2021
-
Kia to invest W10b in Bank Salad
The country‘s second-largest carmaker Kia said Monday it will invest 10 billion won ($8.7 million) into local fintech company Bank Salad in a bid to set foot in the mobility data business. Through the investment, Kia seeks to forge a partnership with the fintech firm to develop data technology for the mobility industry such as open data platform for cars and connected cars. They plan to launch car insurance services that use MyData, a government-led project to comprehensively collect
Aug. 9, 2021
-
Citibank Korea to manage $2b syndicated bonds for Hyundai E&C consortium’s Panama metro project
Citibank Korea said Monday it had become the sole coordinator for a consortium led by Hyundai Engineering & Construction in dealing with syndicated bonds worth a total $2 billion to build a metro line in Panama. The US-based bank’s Korean subsidiary will become a part of a syndicate including the Korea Export-Import Bank and the Korea Trade Insurance Corp. that plans to purchase trade receivables from the consortium under the guarantee of the Panamanian government. The partnership
Aug. 9, 2021
-
Rivalry between banks and Big Tech casts cloud over state-backed loan exchange platform
The government‘s plan to bring loan products under one platform by October to help consumers easily compare the options available is facing headwinds from traditional banks and their tech rivals in the wake of their already intensifying competition to gain the upper hand in digital financing. The “mobile-based loan exchange platform” pushed by the policymaking Financial Services Commission since January is a mobile application, whereby debtors can browse the number of availab
Aug. 9, 2021
-
Game developer Krafton set to go public this week
Video game developer Krafton Inc. is slated to debut on the country's stock market this week, marking one of the largest initial public offering (IPO) events this year. The developer behind the global hit "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds" (PUBG) will go public on the main bourse Tuesday, with its offering price set at 498,000 won ($433.99). The firm is valued at 24.35 trillion won based on the offering price, set to become the No. 1 gaming stock here, dethroning the current top cap NCS
Aug. 9, 2021
-
Seoul stocks open lower on US jobs data
South Korean stocks opened lower Monday as an estimate-beating improvement in US jobs data increased concerns about an early tapering. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) fell 15.98 points, or 0.49 percent, to 3,254.38 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. Investor sentiment weakened as US jobs data in July logged a steeper hike than the market consensus, fueling investor worries that the US Fed may pivot from its dovish stance and consider accelerating its timeline fo
Aug. 9, 2021
-
MBK Chairman to donate W30b to build public library in Seoul
Seoul-based private equity house MBK Partners founder and chairman Michael Byung-ju Kim has pledged to donate 30 billion won ($26.5 million) to the Seoul Metropolitan Government to build a public library in Seoul, MBK Partners said Sunday. The gift represents the first case where an individual‘s donation covers the entire cost of building a civic institution by Seoul’s municipal government, MBK said in a statement. The Seoul Public Kim Byung-ju Library, named after the donor, wil
Aug. 8, 2021
-
Invesco’s blockchain ETF sheds W10b stake in Nexon GT as NXC founder resigns
An exchange-traded fund managed by US-based Invesco Investment Management sold 2.4 percent in Nexon GT just a day after its founder Kim Jung-ju stepped down from the top post of gaming giant Nexon’s holding company NXC, a filing showed Sunday. The instrument, Invesco Elwood Global Blockchain UCITS ETF, unloaded 837,817 common shares of Nexon GT -- the only South Korea-listed subsidiary of NXC -- to cash in 10.3 billion won ($9 million) on July 30. The equity ETF dedicated to blockchain i
Aug. 8, 2021
-
Political figures cleared in hedge fund scandal
South Korean political figures were cleared of any involvement in the nation’s high-profile 1.6 trillion won ($1.4 billion) hedge fund fraud, which centers on the effectively defunct private equity firm Optimus Asset Management, prosecutors announced Sunday. The Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office said that it had dismissed charges Wednesday against three ex-Optimus advisers of accepting property through arrangement and assisting fraudulent activities. They are Lee Hun-j
Aug. 8, 2021