Seoul shares open higher on tech, bio gains

South Korean stocks got off to a strong start Tuesday, drive by gains in tech and bio shares amid hopes of a soft landing for the US economy. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 15.09 points, or 0.57 percent, to 2,647.67 in the first 15 minutes of trading. All three major US stock indexes finished higher Monday on upbeat corporate earnings. The S&P 500 closed at a 16-month high of around 4,590. In Seoul, IT and bio shares drove up the Kospi, while tech blue chips traded mixe

Aug. 1, 2023

Seoul shares up for third day as US data signals cooling inflation

South Korean stocks closed 0.93 percent higher Monday, after US data signaling cooling inflation fueled investor appetite for risky bets. The local currency rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index advanced 24.26 points to 2,632.58. Trading volume was at 447.5 million shares worth 15.5 trillion won ($12.2 billion), with gainers outnumbering decliners 712 to 178. "The slower-than-expected in US personal consumption expenditures price index raised hopes for

July 31, 2023

[KH Explains] Commercial real estate crash punishes investors

Korean investment firms are at the risk of painful losses in their commercial real estate investments with high interest rates and a shift to teleworking. With major economies tightening monetary policies, and the post-pandemic trend of working from home pushing up office vacancy rates, commercial office buildings -- once perceived as a reliable investment -- have become a liability. Igis Asset Management’s 370 billion won ($290 million) investment in the Trianon office building in Frankfu

July 31, 2023

Seoul shares open higher on softening US inflation data

South Korean stocks got off to a strong start Monday, as US data pointing to a loosening of inflation boosted investor confidence. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 16.91 points, or 0.65 percent, to 2,625.23 in the first 15 minutes of trading. All three US major stock indexes finished higher Friday, after the personal consumption expenditures price index, an inflation gauge favored by the Federal Reserve, showed it rose 3 percent in June from a year earlier, the smallest rise

July 31, 2023

Battery stocks’ volatility leaves investors reeling

The fluctuating stock prices of firms in the secondary battery sector sent the local stock market on a rollercoaster ride over the last week. Battery materials stocks achieved gains on Friday afternoon after suffering losses in the morning, raising alarms for retail investors who belatedly joined in on a buying spree for EcoPro and Posco shares. Shares of EcoPro closed at 1.10 million won ($863.85) on Friday. It spiked to a record high of 1.53 million won during trading hours on Wednesday, bu

July 30, 2023

Seoul shares end tumultuous week with modest gains

South Korean stocks ended slightly higher Friday, led by steel shares, as investors took a breather amid concerns over aggressive monetary tightening by major economies and following sessions of great fluctuations in battery shares. The local currency rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 4.51 points, or 0.17 percent, to close at 2,608.32, the second consecutive gains. Trading volume was a bit heavy at 495.38 million shares worth 16.5 trillion won ($12

July 28, 2023

Seoul shares open lower on US losses, profit taking

South Korean stocks opened lower Friday, led by declines in big-cap tech shares on profit taking after an overnight fall on Wall Street. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 9.8 points, or 0.38 percent, to 2,594.01 in the first 15 minutes of trading. US stocks closed lower despite the stronger-than-expected economic growth in the second quarter. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.67 percent, snapping a 13-day winning streak, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 0.55 perc

July 28, 2023

Seoul shares end higher on chip rally

South Korean stocks ended higher Thursday, as chipmakers surged on hopes for a business turnaround and investors digested the Federal Reserve's latest interest rate hike. The local currency fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 11.45 points, or 0.44 percent, to close at 2,603.81. Trading volume was heavy at 585.77 million shares worth 23.79 trillion won ($18.62 billion), with gainers outpacing losers 729 to 174. The index moved within a tight rang

July 27, 2023

Number of trading firms tumbles in 2022 amid economic uncertainties

The number of trading firms in South Korea moved down 0.7 percent in 2022 from a year earlier, data showed Thursday, as economic uncertainties hampered business activities. Asia's fourth-largest economy had 251,246 trading companies last year, down 1,812 from 2021, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. The value of their trade, however, jumped to a record high of $132 billion, advancing 10.8 percent over the period. The number of exporters moved up 0.4 percent on-year to 95,

July 27, 2023

Seoul shares open higher after Fed rate hikes

South Korean stocks opened slightly higher Thursday, as investors digested the Federal Reserve's latest interest rate hike and corporate earnings reports. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 6.39 points, or 0.25 percent, to 2,598.75 in the first 15 minutes of trading. On Wednesday, the Fed raised interest rates by a much-anticipated quarter of a percentage point to the 5.25 percent to 5.50 percent range, the highest level in more than 22 years. Chair Jerome Powell suggeste

July 27, 2023

Mastern America, BuildBlock join hands to expand presence in US commercial development market

Mastern America, the US arm of Mastern Investment Management, said Wednesday it has joined hands with real estate platform operator BuildBlock to expand its presence in the US commercial development market. The two firms recently signed a memorandum of understanding to bolster their ties and cooperate on diverse investment projects. BuildBlock is a real estate platform operating in major cities and regions in the US, including Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Hawaii, New York and Texas. The plat

July 26, 2023

End of IPO drought?

Expectation for end of interest hikes and IPO market reform to boost slowed listing activities The initial public offering pipeline for the second half of the year appears to be strong, with high-profile companies, including a fabless chip startup and a battery material maker, pushing for their listings on the Korean stock market to raise equity capital amid relaxed IPO rules. The IPO market here remained sluggish in the first half of the year due to deteriorating investor sentiment on the

July 26, 2023

Seoul shares end 3-day rise ahead of Fed decision

South Korean stocks ended markedly lower Wednesday, led by tech losses, as investors took a breather after three days of gains, awaiting the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision. The local currency advanced against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 44.10 points, or 1.67 percent, to close at 2,592.36. Trading volume was heavy at 825.02 million shares worth 36.01 trillion won ($28.23 billion), with losers far outpacing gainers 871 to 50. The index moved w

July 26, 2023

Seoul shares open tad lower ahead of Fed decision

South Korean stocks opened slightly lower Wednesday, following three days of gains, as investors are digesting corporate earnings reports and awaiting the rate-setting meeting in the United States. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 4.24 points, or 0.16 percent, to 2,632.22 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, US stocks closed higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average grew 0.08 percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite added 0.61 percent. The Federal Reserve began a

July 26, 2023

Seoul shares up for 3rd day on China stimulus, fed hope

South Korean stocks ended higher Tuesday, led by steel and chemical companies, as investor sentiment was boosted by China's economic stimulus plan and hopes for an end to the United States' aggressive monetary tightening. The local currency advanced against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 7.93 points, or 0.3 percent, to close at 2,636.46, the third consecutive rise. Trading volume was a bit heavy at 713.46 million shares worth 18.85 trillion won ($1

July 25, 2023

Seoul shares open higher ahead of Fed meeting, earnings reports

South Korean stocks opened slightly higher Tuesday, tracking overnight Wall Street gains, as investors are awaiting quarterly earnings reports by major companies and the rate-setting meeting in the United States. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 2.79 points, or 0.11 percent, to 2,631.32 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, US stocks closed higher in the run-up to the Federal Reserve's policy meeting this week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average grew 0.52 percent

July 25, 2023

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