[Best Brand] Samsung C&T wins undersea power network order in UAE

Samsung C&T said it has signed a deal to build an undersea high-voltage direct current network that connects the United Arab Emirates’ offshore oil production facilities and Abu Dhabi’s land power network. Samsung C&T said it would form a consortium with Belgian construction company Jan De Nul for the engineering, procurement and construction project worth 3.5 trillion won ($3 billion). Samsung C&T’s portion of the project amounts to 2.7 trillion won. This brin

Dec. 28, 2021

Experts on market 2022: Stocks to rebound, home price rise to slow

South Korean shares could recede early next year but will gradually pick up speed in robust rebound on upbeat corporate earnings and consumer sentiment, while the home price rise will slow but with room for a moderate hike, market experts here said. 　 The benchmark Kospi -- which hit a record high on July 6 this year at 3,305 amid ample liquidity and pandemic recovery hopes -- could reach as high as 3,480 next year, though it could also dive down as low as 2,710, according to analysts citi

Dec. 28, 2021

Seoul shares end higher on foreign, institutional buying

Seoul shares closed higher on Tuesday as foreign and institutional investors scooped up market heavyweights following overnight US gains. The local currency fell against the US dollar. After a choppy session, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) went up 20.69 points, or 0.69 percent, to 3,020.24 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 593 million shares worth some 11.9 trillion won ($10.1 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 524 to 333. Individuals sold a net 1.9

Dec. 28, 2021

[Best Brand] Lotte Card offers best payback deals for millennials, Gen Z

Lotte Card recently launched a new credit card series that aims to offer best deals for shopping, dining out and more for millennials and Gen Z customers. The four cards under its so-called Loca Likit series – Loca Likit 1.2, Loca Likit Eat, Loca Likit Play and Loka Likit Shop – offers its users different discounts and cost-effective options for the shops they want. Loca Likit 1.2 pays 1.2 percent cash back on dining, cafe and food delivery apps and 1.5 percent back discount on o

Dec. 28, 2021

Seoul shares open lower despite US gains

South Korean shares opened lower Tuesday, bucking the overnight advance on Wall Street amid concerns over the spread of the omicron variant. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 5.20 points, or 0.17 percent, to 2,994.35 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. US shares advanced on optimism that the global economy can ride out the COVID-19 pandemic and tightening monetary policy. Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.98 percent to 36,302.38 and the tech

Dec. 28, 2021

Online-only banks not accessible for non-Koreans

  For Hiram Piskitel, a 49-year-old American IT project manager at an international company in Seoul, the launch of South Korea’s third internet-only lender Toss Bank in October signaled a change in his personal finance routine. The online bank, operated by Viva Republica, had vowed to offer non-face-to-face banking services to foreign residents. If realized, it would be the first accessible online bank for the roughly 2 million non-Koreans residing in Korea. Hiram’s hopes, h

Dec. 27, 2021

Seoul shares end lower amid omicron woes

Seoul shares closed lower Monday on profit taking amid lingering concerns over the spread of the omicron variant. The local currency fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 12.88 points, or 0.43 percent, to 2,999.55 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 462.9 million shares worth some 8.13 trillion won ($6.8 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 446 to 405. Individuals sold a net 523 billion won worth of stocks, exceeding instituti

Dec. 27, 2021

Seoul shares open lower on profit taking

Seoul shares opened lower Monday on profit taking amid lingering concerns over the impact of the omicron variant. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 3.62 points, or 0.12 percent, to 3,008.81 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. Individuals and foreigners' stock selling worth a combined 48 billion won ($40 million) exceeded institutions' stock purchases valued at 43 billion won.  Tech and airline stocks were lead decliners.  Market bellwether Samsun

Dec. 27, 2021

More women promoted, but hurdles remain in S. Korea's finance

The public and private financial sectors have recently appointed more women for leadership amid their drive to adopt environmental, social and governance values, but the field remains overwhelmingly male. The watchdog Financial Supervisory Service on Wednesday appointed its first “inside” female executive, a turn from its previous moves to hire women for the position from outside institutions including universities. This marked the first of such move in the FSS’ 22-year histo

Dec. 26, 2021

BOK signals rate hike as inflation fight drags on

The Bank of Korea said Friday that it would adjust its monetary policy next year in an announcement seen as preparing for a rate hike to dampen inflation. The BOK, which raised the rate to 1 percent after two rate hikes in August and November this year to prop up the pandemic-hit economy, is expected to lift the rate in January when the bank’s seven-member board meets. BOK Gov. Lee Ju-yeol said he would not rule out a hike in the first quarter. “The financial imbalances -- manifes

Dec. 24, 2021

Seoul stocks up for 4th session amid eased omicron concerns

The South Korean stock market continued its winning streak to a fourth session Friday amid eased concerns over the impact of the omicron variant on the global economy. The local currency gained ground against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) rose 14.26 points, or 0.48 percent, to 3,012.43 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 530 million shares worth some 8.4 trillion won ($7.7 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 602 to 228. Foreigners bough

Dec. 24, 2021

Seoul shares open higher on US gains

Seoul shares opened higher Friday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street amid eased concerns over global economic growth next year despite the outbreak of omicron virus strain. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) rose 26.46 points, or 0.88 percent, to 3,024.63 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. Investor sentiment was buoyed as the omicron variant is highly infectious but less likely to lead to hospitalization. Most stocks advanced across the board. Market bellwe

Dec. 24, 2021

Investment banks slash Kospi targets amid slow trade

South Korea’s benchmark Kospi faces a long transition to a bullish rally, during which investors will have to navigate uncertainties complicated by supply bottlenecks, a rate hike and a presidential election, according to Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. Goldman Sachs cut the Kospi target to 3,350 from 3,700, changing its view on Korean shares from “overweight” to “marketweight,” saying it would be hard to expect market-beating corporate earnings again next year.

Dec. 23, 2021

Seoul stocks up for 3rd session amid tech, auto gains

The South Korean stock market extended its winning streak to a third session Thursday, buoyed by advances by tech and auto issues. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) advanced 13.69 points, or 0.46 percent, to close at 2,998.17 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 476 million shares worth some 9.2 trillion won ($7.7 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 477 to 358. Foreigners bought a net 224 billion won and instituti

Dec. 23, 2021

BOK able to borrow short-term dollar funding from Fed by using Treasury holdings

South Korea will be able to borrow up to $60 billion from the US Federal Reserve's "repo facility," designed to help countries secure overnight dollar funding by using their holdings of US Treasury securities, the central bank said Thursday. The deal reached with the Federal Reserve on Tuesday (US time) will allow the Bank of Korea (BOK) to exchange its US Treasury holdings for dollars through the Foreign and International Monetary Authorities (FIMA) Repo Facility at an interest rate

Dec. 23, 2021

Seoul stocks open slightly higher on auto, chemical gains

South Korean stocks opened slightly higher Thursday, led by advances of auto and chemical heavyweights. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) edged up 2.58 points, or 0.09 percent, to trade at 2,987.06 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. Top carmaker Hyundai Motor moved up 1.58 percent and its smaller affiliate Kia added 0.36 percent. Chemical giant LG Chem advanced 0.8 percent, and steelmaker Posco climbed 0.71 percent. Market bellwether Samsung Electronics traded fl

Dec. 23, 2021

Main stock market's turnover hits 19-month low in Dec.

Turnover of South Korea's main bourse plumbed a 19-month low in December as retail investors flee stocks for higher returns, data showed Thursday. The average daily turnover of the KOSPI market stood at slightly over 10 trillion won ($8.39 billion) for 16 trading sessions till Wednesday, according to the data from the Korea Stock Exchange. It was the lowest tally since May 2020, when the daily turnover came to 9.9 trillion won. The figure was also down 15 percent from November and nearly half

Dec. 23, 2021

Seoul stocks up for 2nd session amid tech gains, easing virus scare

South Korean stocks closed up for the second straight session Wednesday, led by chipmaker gains and easing fear about the omicron variant of the new coronavirus. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 9.45 points, or 0.32 percent, to close at 2,984.48 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 453 million shares worth some 8.6 trillion won ($7.2 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 486 to 357. Foreigners bought a net 30

Dec. 22, 2021

Seoul stocks open steeply higher on US stock rallies

South Korean stocks opened steeply higher Wednesday, tracking overnight rallies on Wall Street that stemmed from easing fears about the impact of the omicron variant on the global economy. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 18.95 points, or 0.64 percent, to trade at 2,993.98 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. The KOSPI got off to a bullish start, led by tech and auto advances. Overnight, the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite jumped 2.4 percent and the Dow Jones

Dec. 22, 2021

4 in 5 foreign employees paid less than W3m

SEJONG -- Almost 4 in every 5 foreign salaried workers in South Korea were found to be earning less than 3 million won ($2,500) a month, state data showed Tuesday. According to Statistics Korea and the Korea Immigration Service, around 811,000 foreigners were employed here this year, up 0.9 percentage point compared to the previous year. Of them, the portion of foreign employees whose monthly wage stayed under 3 million won reached 78.1 percent, or 633,000 people, this year. While 52.2 perce

Dec. 21, 2021