South Korean stocks got off to a weak start Thursday, as worries about the world economy, possibly set for a recession, continued to weigh on investor sentiment. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 23.52 points, or 0.88 percent, to 2,662.38 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, Wall Street ended lower amid woes over the potential economic impact of the US Federal Reserve's planned tighter monetary policy. In Seoul, most shares lost ground across the board. Market bel

South Korean stocks closed higher for a third consecutive day Tuesday as foreigners scooped up local equities amid eased concerns over a global recession and China's economic slowdown, analysts said. The local currency inched up against the US dollar. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained 16.24 points, or 0.61 percent, to close at 2,685.90. Trading volume was moderate at 649.8 million shares worth 13.64 trillion won ($11 billion) with gainers outpacing decliners 544 to 291. &

The South Korean stock market fell for the sixth consecutive day Tuesday to hit a 17-month low, as investors fretted about high inflation and a global economic slowdown amid the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and China's lockdown of major cities over COVID-19. The local currency hit its lowest point against the US dollar in more than two years. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 14.25 points, or 0.55 percent, to close at 2,596.56, extending losses to the sixth session in a row. It is

The list of South Korea’s 500 biggest companies by sales saw significant changes last year, with the rise of battery, K-pop and virtual currency firms, a corporate tracker said Wednesday. Battery maker LG Energy Solution jumped from No. 343 in 2020 to No. 44 last year on the annual list released by CEO Score as its shipments of pouch- and cylinder-type batteries surged on growing global demand for electric cars. Camera module supplier LG Innotek went from No. 68 to No. 48 in the same per

Five South Korean lobby groups on Monday called for a presidential pardon to be issued to Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, the de facto leader of the family-owned electronics giant, with businesses saying the leadership void is taking a toll on the group even after Lee was released from prison on parole last year. The plea for Lee’s clemency was submitted to Cheong Wa Dae and the Justice Ministry, in hopes that it would make it onto the list of incumbent President Moon Jae-in’s l

Financial affiliates of South Korean conglomerate Samsung Group on Thursday launched an integrated financial service app that offers various financial plans spanning insurance to financial investment. The new Samsung app, Monimo, offers services from four Samsung financial affiliates, such as Samsung Life Insurance Co., Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, and Samsung Card Co. The app enables Samsung customers to use different financial services, including calling car insurance agents and filing

Financial affiliates of Samsung Group, South Korea's top conglomerate, on Tuesday said they will launch a new integrated brand and unified platform to secure a larger pool of customers from the MZ generation. Named Monimo, the single platform, which will house five financial affiliates, including Samsung Life Insurance Co. and Samsung Securities Co., will provide various services. The platform will go into operation Thursday. Additionally, the affiliates said they will launch a new and unified b

South Korean stocks ended lower Wednesday, as the US central bank's more hawkish stance on rate hikes sparked worries about a global economic slowdown amid uncertainties surrounding Ukraine and China's growth. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 24.17 points, or 0.88 percent, to close at 2,735.03 points. Trading volume was moderate at around 1.29 billion shares worth some 10.85 trillion won (US$8.90 billion), with losers outnumbering ga

South Korea's financial regulator called Thursday for local insurers to increase their loan loss reserves as part of efforts to better cope with potential risks facing the industry amid increasing financial market uncertainty. Jeong Eun-bo, head of the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), made the call in a meeting with top officials of insurance firms in Seoul and voiced worries that there are signs for a "perfect storm," citing the US's move to tighten monetary policy and the fallout

Samsung Electronics will hold an annual meeting of shareholders on Wednesday, amid complaints growing over performance issues of its latest Galaxy phones and falling stock prices that failed to reflect the world’s top smartphone and chip maker’s robust earnings. The key agenda of the upcoming meeting is the appointment of four presidents, including Kyung Kye-hyun, co-CEO and head of chip business, and Roh Tae-moon, head of mobile business, as new internal board members. Industry w

Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Co. said Monday its earnings soared more than 42 percent in 2021 from a year earlier on the car insurance division's switch to profit. Net income came to 1.09 trillion won ($910 million) last year, up 42.5 percent from a year earlier, the leading non-life insurer said in a regulatory filing. Operating income stood at 1.55 trillion won, up 36.9 percent from a year earlier, with sales edging up 1.9 percent to 19.65 trillion won. Samsung Fire & Marine Insuran

Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Co., South Korea's top non-life insurer, said Wednesday it will cut its auto insurance premiums by an average 1.2 percent in April on falling loss rates. It will mark Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance's first premium reduction since 2020, when its car insurance premium increased more than 3 percent amid soaring deficits. Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, the non-life insurance arm of top conglomerate Samsung Group, said it has made the decision as its aut

Employees at South Korean financial firms will receive up to four times their monthly salary as their bonuses for 2021, backed by booming business, sources said Sunday. Woori Bank, one of the major commercial lenders here, has recently agreed with its union to hand its employees performance bonuses worth 300 percent of their monthly salaries plus some 1 million won ($830), according to industry sources. The nation’s No.1 commercial bank by performance, KB Kookmin Bank and its long-time

South Korea's initial public offering (IPO) market is expected to have another bumper year in 2022 as a slew of companies, including battery maker LG Energy Solution, are planning for stock market debuts, analysts said Sunday. The amount of money raised via IPOs on the main and tech-heavy stock markets reached a record high of 20.8 trillion won ($17.5 billion) last year, according to industry data. As more firms are preparing to go public with an aim of attracting more than 1 trillion won via

  Korean Air Lines Co., South Korea's national flag carrier, said Thursday it will secure 557.8 billion won ($470 million) through a property sale as part of its efforts to improve its financial status amid a prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. On Friday, Korean Air will sign a deal to sell its land and building at Songhyeon-dong in central Seoul to the public housing developer Korea Land & Housing Corp., the company said in a regulatory filing. LH will exchange the Songhyeon-dong site with