South Korean stocks started lower Wednesday due to losses from large-cap shares in tech and auto firms. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 15.27 points, or 0.58 percent, to 2,602.53 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, Wall Street finished mixed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.4 percent, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.8 percent to a record high on better-than-expected earnings from Alphabet, the parent company of Google. In Seoul, most market heavyweights

Hana Financial Group announced Wednesday that it has opened the 99th nursery of its "100 Nursery Building Project" in Dongdaemun, central Seoul. The latest facility, "Hoegi Hana Nursery," is a public child care center serving multicultural families, offering space for up to 60 infants and children under five. The five-story building includes playrooms and an outdoor playground. Since launching the initiative in 2018, Hana Financial Group has partnered with regional government

Hana Financial Group said Tuesday that it is ramping up efforts to offer more tailor-made services for senior customers under the new brand name Hana The Next. The new launch, a collaboration of its key affiliates including Hana Bank, Hana Securities and Hana Insurance, will cover both financial and non-financial areas from retirement planning to consultations on inheritance and gift taxes to health care. The first customer is TV celebrity Kang Ho-dong, who has also been named as the brand ambas

The Korean equity market reacted to the launch of an index developed to address domestic companies' undervaluation with investors showing a preference for stocks included in the new index. Following the Korea Exchange’s unveiling of the Value-up Index, comprised 100 Korean stocks with stellar corporate value, on Tuesday, those that made the list, including Samsung Electronics and SK hynix showed a strong start in Wednesday morning trading. SK hynix and Samsung Electronics had gained

Samsung Electronics and the nation’s top five lenders have collaborated to create a 2 trillion won ($1.5 billion) fund to support small and medium-sized companies struggling to meet toughening carbon regulations at home and in overseas markets. On Tuesday, the tech giant, together with the nation’s top five financial groups and the Financial Supervisory Service, vowed to offer low-interest rates on loans to smaller businesses seeking to invest in low-emissions facilities, equipment o

With South Korea's sole bourse operator set to introduce this month a stock index comprised of Korean companies well complying with the government-led corporate value-up program, the market expects bank shares and large-cap stocks to make the list. As part of the value-up program announced earlier this year, Korea Exchange is to launch the Korea Value-up Index in September, enlisting “best practice” companies to boost the appeal of the local stock market. Though the bourse opera

Hana Financial Group on Friday concluded the 18th round of its Smart Ambassador program, a three-month initiative promoting its ESG, or environmental, social and governance activities. In the photo, Vice President Lee Eun-hyung (second row, center) poses with the student ambassadors during the closing ceremony at the company's headquarters in Myeong-dong, Seoul. Since June, 50 college students have engaged in various projects such as creating public relations content, visiting Hana affiliat

The terms of the CEOs at South Korea's five major commercial banks all end on Dec. 31, and speculation is mounting over their reappointments. Strong earnings across the sector, driven by high revenue and profits, may boost some CEOs' chances for an extension. However, others face uncertainty due to ongoing financial scandals and management issues, prompting regulators to call for tighter oversight. Additionally, CEOs' relationships with their respective holding group will also be

Hana Financial Group hosted a two-day workshop starting Monday at the Hana Global Campus in Incheon, focusing on global strategies and corporate culture to enhance employee capabilities and reinforce the company's commitment to customer-centric service. The seminar was attended by 29 employees from 19 countries. The picture shows Hana Financial Group Vice President Lee Eun-hyung (center) with the global participants. (Hana Financial Group)

Hana Financial Group is spearheading female empowerment with its program designed to unlock the potential of women's talents and to nurture them as leaders shaping the future of the group. The financial conglomerate, with subsidiaries of a retail bank, credit card and insurance firms, among others, under its wing, said it launched the fourth edition of Hana Waves, an annual in-house program that has nurtured 98 future female leaders since its establishment in 2021. Hana Waves -- Women

South Korea's national team for the 2024 Paris Paralympics departed for Paris on Wednesday, receiving enthusiastic cheers from supporters, including Hana Financial Group. In this photo, Hana Financial Group Vice Chairman Lee Eun-hyung (second row, fifth from left) stands with Korea Paralympic Committee Chairman Jung Jin-owan (second row, third from left), Bae Dong-hyun, head of the Paralympic national team (second row, fourth from left) and athletes at Incheon International Airport, celeb

The average earnings of bankers at South Korea's four major banks in the first half of this year amounted to 60.5 million won ($45,300), surpassing the pay at some of the country's largest companies. According to recent public disclosures reported by the banks to the Financial Supervisory Service, Hana Bank led the pack, offering 67 million won on average to its employees over the first six months. KB Kookmin Bank and Woori Bank followed at 60 million won each, while Shinhan Bank provi

South Korean design software developer Zyx Technology announced Tuesday that it signed a sponsorship deal with professional golfer Kim Jae-hee. Under this sponsorship, Kim will wear a cap with the logo of ZyxCAD, the company's independently developed versatile computer-aided design software, during her participation in both domestic and international tournaments. Kim became a member of the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association in 2019 and claimed her first victory this season at the KL

Hana Financial Group said Sunday that it will inject 10 billion won ($7.32 million) over the next three years to bring awareness to the dangers of illegal gambling for youngsters. The project is co-organized by Hana Financial Group and Korea Center on Gambling Problems, joined by public institutions including the Financial Supervisory Service, National Gambling Control Commission, National Police Agency and Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education. "The Financial Supervisory Service, in charg

A three-way takeover battle for MG Non-Life Insurance began Thursday, with Meritz Fire & Marine Insurance entering the prolonged race as a new contender. According to local reports, three companies submitted letters of intent to participate in the fourth preliminary bidding for MG Insurance on Thursday. The contenders include Meritz Fire & Marine Insurance and private equity firms Dayli Partners and JC Flowers. Meritz Fire, the non-life insurance arm of local financial holding company Me