Seoul shares rise on strong battery, steel performance

South Korean stocks ended higher Monday as major battery and steel shares rose sharply amid expectations for further industry growth, with a focus on corporate earnings and the United States' upcoming rate-setting meeting. The local currency advanced against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 18.77 points, or 0.72 percent, to close at 2,628.53, the second consecutive rise. Trading volume was a bit heavy at 522.67 million shares worth 18.81 trillion won ($14

July 24, 2023

Seoul shares open lower ahead of corporate earnings reports

South Korean stocks opened lower Monday, as big-cap tech shares lost ground ahead of the release of major corporate earnings reports. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 11.49 points, or 0.44 percent, to 2,598.27 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Investors are awaiting the quarterly results of major companies this week, including chip giants Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. Eyes are also on the Federal Reserve's two-day rate-setting meeting set to begin Tuesday, where th

July 24, 2023

Seoul shares end slightly higher on individual buying

South Korean stocks finished slightly higher Friday on strong individual buying amid a slump in the semiconductor sector. The local currency sharply lost ground against the US dollar. Despite a weak start, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 9.53 points, or 0.37 percent, to finish at 2,609.76. Trading volume was moderate at 491.8 million shares worth 12 trillion won ($9.3 billion), with decliners outpacing gainers 507 to 353. Retail investors scooped up a net 316.6 billion won

July 21, 2023

SK Chemicals shares soar on AstraZeneca deal

Shares of SK Chemicals soared sharply Friday, a day after the chemicals and drug developer announced that it signed a contract manufacturing deal for British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company AstraZeneca’s diabetes medicines. Its shares started at 79,800 won ($62.27) as of 9 a.m., a 23 percent jump from the previous trading day. In the afternoon, the stocks were traded slightly lower at 72,200 won, still up around 11 percent from a day ago. In its regulatory fi

July 21, 2023

EcoPro highly likely to make MSCI index in August: analysts

South Korean battery materials company EcoPro, the red-hot stock in the nation’s secondary tech-laden Kosdaq, is highly likely to be included in the MSCI Korea Index in August, Samsung Securities wrote in a recent report published Friday. EcoPro is a holdings firm with units EcoPro BM and EcoPro HN under its wings. Running high on the recent electric vehicle boom, the cathode materials maker saw its shares soar to a record high of 1.14 million ($890.28) Wednesday, almost a 10-fold jump fro

July 21, 2023

Seoul shares open lower on US rate hike woes

South Korean stocks started lower Friday as investors took a cautious stance amid strong US jobs data. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 24.37 points, or 0.94 percent, to 2,575.86 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight on Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.47 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite tumbled 2.05 percent. The latest US Labor Department data showed that weekly jobless claims fell again last week, suggesting the Federal Reserve wi

July 21, 2023

Seoul shares end lower amid rate hike worries

Seoul shares ended lower Thursday, bucking gains on Wall Street, as investors remain cautious on whether the US Federal Reserve will raise rates further to tame inflation. The South Korean won fell against the dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 8.01 points, or 0.31 percent, to close at 2,600.23. Trading volume was moderate at 362.59 million shares worth 9.3 trillion won ($7.3 billion), with gainers outpacing decliners 446 to 417. Institutions sold a net 319 billion won

July 20, 2023

Seoul shares open lower amid rate hike woes

Seoul shares opened lower Thursday, bucking gains on Wall Street, as investors remain concerned over the US Federal Reserve's additional rate hikes to tame inflation. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 15.79 points, or 0.61 percent, to 2,592.45 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up 0.31 percent to 35,061.21 points, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite gained 0.03 percent to 14,358.02. Investors see no major risk of recessi

July 20, 2023

Seoul shares end almost flat amid rate woes

Seoul shares ended almost flat Wednesday as investors remain watchful on whether the Federal Reserve will continue its aggressive rate hikes this year to tame inflation. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 0.62 points, or 0.02 percent, to close at 2,608.24. Trading volume was moderate at 433.9 million shares worth 11 trillion won ($9.5 billion), with decliners outpacing gainers 599 to 272. Institutions and foreigners offloaded a combine

July 19, 2023

Seoul shares open higher on US gains amid rate woes

Seoul shares opened higher Wednesday, tracking gains on Wall Street, as investors remain concerned over the Federal Reserve's additional rate hikes to tame inflation. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 0.46 point, or 0.02 percent, to 2,608.08 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.1 percent to 34,951.93 points, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite gained 0.8 percent to 14,353.64. Investors are keeping an eye on the US central

July 19, 2023

Seoul shares fall as rate hike concerns linger

Seoul shares finished lower Tuesday as lingering rate hike fears spurred sell-offs among institutions and foreign investors. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 11.38 points, or 0.43 percent, to close at 2,607.62. Trading volume was moderate at 485.85 million shares worth 11.75 trillion won ($9.32 billion), with decliners far outpacing gainers 723 to 171. Institutions and foreigners offloaded a net 300.02 billion won and 187.17 billion

July 18, 2023

Seoul shares open lower amid lingering rate hike concerns

The South Korean stock market got off to a weak start Tuesday, despite overnight Wall Street gains led by big tech companies. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 2.62 points, or 0.1 percent, to 2,616.38 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, Wall Street closed higher, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average hitting its highest closing level in 2023, as the market anticipated more upbeat second-quarter earnings results following strong performances from some major banks. US

July 18, 2023

Seoul shares snap 4-day winning streak on profit taking

Seoul shares ended lower Monday, breaking their four-day winning streak amid profit-taking moves and lingering rate hike concerns. The South Korean won declined against the US dollar. After choppy trading, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 9.3 points, or 0.35 percent, to finish at 2,619. Trading volume was moderate at 540.02 million shares worth 11.48 trillion won ($9.06 billion), with decliners outpacing gainers 511 to 370. Institutions and foreigners offloaded a net 232.29 b

July 17, 2023

Seoul shares open lower as inflation concerns linger

Seoul shares opened lower Monday amid lingering rate hike concerns despite a series of data showing inflation is cooling. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 10.4 points, or 0.4 percent, to 2,617.9 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Wall Street finished mixed Friday as US Federal officials said it was too early to declare victory over inflation. The Dow Jones Industry Average gained 0.33 percent following big banks' earnings results, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite t

July 17, 2023

KB pledges to become purpose-driven company

South Korean financial giant KB Financial Group hopes to become a company that can have a good influence on the community, its chairman said Friday. “We will all make efforts to become a purpose-driven firm that has a positive influence on the community,” Chairman Yoon Jong-kyoo said at the group’s strategy meeting held at a Seoul hotel under the title "Toward the Future.” The meeting was held to discuss management strategies for the latter half of 2023 to seek cha

July 16, 2023

Woori to step up its game in corporate financing

South Korean financial giant Woori Financial Group plans to expand its corporate financing, according to its chairman Friday. "During the first half of 2023, we prioritized risk management such as controlling financial soundness and capital adequacy as the uncertainty in financial markets both in and out of Korea escalated,” Woori Financial Group Chairman Yim Jong-yong said at a workshop held at the group’s headquarters in central Seoul. "It was a meaningful time when bold

July 16, 2023

Seoul shares up for 4th day on easing inflation concerns

Seoul shares ended spiked nearly 1.5 percent Friday, extending their winning streak to a fourth day, as easing US inflation helped assuage rate hike fears. The South Korean won sharply rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index climbed 37.07 points, or 1.43 percent, to finish at 2,628.30. Trading volume was moderate at 561.21 million shares worth 14.01 trillion won ($11.06 billion), with winners outpacing losers 442 to 428. Institutions and foreigners bought a ne

July 14, 2023

Seoul shares open higher on easing inflation concerns

Seoul shares opened higher Friday, after another softer-than-expected US inflation reading. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 15.67 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,606.9 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the US producer price index, another key inflation reading, came in softer than expected in June. The report came a day after June's consumer price index showed US inflation slowed to a two-year low. The Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up 0.14 percent, and t

July 14, 2023

Seoul shares up for 3rd day amid eased inflation woes; won sharply up

Seoul shares ended higher Thursday to extend their winning streak to a third day as eased US inflation muted concerns over the US Federal Reserve's aggressive rate hikes. The South Korean won sharply rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index climbed 16.51 points, or 0.64 percent, to finish at 2,591.23. Trading volume was moderate at 573.79 million shares worth 13.1 trillion won ($10.2 billion), with gainers outpacing decliners 469 to 399. Institutions and f

July 13, 2023

Seoul shares open higher on eased woes over US inflation

Seoul shares opened higher Thursday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street, as US inflation slowed to a two-year low, easing concerns that the US Federal Reserve will continue its aggressive rate hikes. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 17.92 points, or 0.70 percent, to 2,592.64 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.3 percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite climbed 1.2 percent. The US consumer price index, a key inflation

July 13, 2023