Seoul shares open lower on tech losses

South Korean stocks started lower Tuesday, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street, led by a decline in tech shares due to profit-taking. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 21.49 points, or 0.53 percent, to 4,067.76 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Institutions were net sellers, offsetting net purchases by foreign and retail investors. Overnight, US stocks fell as doubts over potential interest rate cuts persisted and investors awaited Nvidia's earnings and US jobs reports.

Nov. 18, 2025

Seoul shares sharply rebound on chip rally

South Korean stocks closed markedly higher Monday, led by semiconductor shares, rebounding from the previous session's dip, as valuation concerns over artificial intelligence-related stocks eased somewhat. The local currency weakened against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 77.68 points, or 1.94 percent, to close at 4,089.25. Trade volume was moderate at 337.99 million shares worth 14.1 trillion won ($7.44 billion), with losers beating winners 490 to 392. The

Nov. 17, 2025

Seoul shares open higher on chip gains

South Korean stocks started higher Monday, driven by sharp gains of semiconductor shares on bargain hunting. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 38.39 points, or 0.96 percent, to 4,049.96 in the first 15 minutes of trading. On Friday, the index sank 3.81 percent amid fears of an artificial intelligence bubble and diminished expectations for a Federal Reserve rate cut. But foreign investors turned net buyers on Monday, effectively offsetting selling by retail and institutional in

Nov. 17, 2025

Korea’s big-cap club grows as market value soars

Korea’s equity rally in the second half of the year has expanded the ranks of its market heavyweights, with 14 more companies crossing the 10 trillion won ($6.9 billion) valuation mark. Korea Exchange data released Sunday show 61 firms now above that threshold, up from 47 in May before the market’s sharp advance. Most of the newcomers are listed on the benchmark Kospi, while only three — biopharmaceutical firm Alteogen, battery-materials maker Ecopro BM and its parent Ecopro — came from the Kosd

Nov. 16, 2025

All Kospi-listed firms required to file in English by 2028

Korea will require Kospi-listed companies with at least 2 trillion won ($1.4 billion) in assets to file key regulatory disclosures in English next year, with the mandate expanding to all Kospi firms by 2028, the nation’s top financial regulator said. Beginning in May, large Kospi companies will need to provide English-language filings on dividends, rights offerings, treasury share cancellations and other major events, according to the Financial Services Commission. The move is the second stage o

Nov. 16, 2025

Overseas stock purchases by S. Korean retail investors hit record high in Nov.

South Korean individual investors' net purchases of overseas stocks reached a new high for a half-month period in November, driven by their aggressive investment patterns, officials said Sunday. Local investors bought a net $3.63 billion worth of foreign stocks in the first 14 days of this month, more than double the $1.77 billion recorded during the same period last month, according to the Korea Securities Depository and the Korea Center for International Finance. While US stocks accounted for

Nov. 16, 2025

Foreign buying spree on Korean stocks continues for 6th month

Foreign investors invested over 4 trillion won ($2.8 billion) into the South Korean stock market in October, marking six consecutive months of net buying, data showed Friday. Offshore investors purchased a net 4.2 trillion won in listed stocks last month, according to the Financial Supervisory Service. Of that amount, 4.195 trillion won went into the main bourse Kospi, while 10 billion won was invested in the secondary bourse Kosdaq. Foreign investors’ combined stock holdings stood at 1,248.9 tr

Nov. 14, 2025

Korean won jumps following authoritative intervention

The South Korean won experienced a sharp gain against the dollar in early trading Friday, following a verbal intervention by the local foreign exchange authorities. The won was quoted at 1,458.38 per dollar as of 11 a.m. Friday, gaining nearly 8 won from the close of after-hours trading. The won began trading at 1,471.9 per dollar and further depreciated to 1,474.9, pressured by US-driven risk-off sentiment and foreign investors’ net selling in the local stock market. However, following the verb

Nov. 14, 2025

Seoul shares open sharply lower on tech losses, US rate cut uncertainties

South Korean stocks opened sharply lower Friday, following declines on Wall Street led by tech shares, while investors grew pessimistic about a December rate cut in the United States. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 90.5 points, or 2.17 percent, to 4,080.13 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, major US stock indexes closed sharply lower as investors continued to sell off shares in the artificial intelligence sector over valuation concerns. The Dow Jones Industrial

Nov. 14, 2025

Seoul shares up for 4th day on end to US govt. shutdown

Seoul shares closed higher Thursday, extending their winning streak to a fourth session, after US President Donald Trump signed a funding bill to end the record-long US government shutdown. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 20.24 points, or 0.49 percent, to close at 4,170.63. Trading volume was moderate at 421.75 million shares worth 17.36 trillion won ($11.8 billion), with gainers outnumbering decliners 475 to 383. Foreign investors

Nov. 13, 2025

Seoul shares open higher on imminent end to US govt. shutdown

Seoul shares opened higher Thursday as the US House of Representatives voted to end the record-long government shutdown, lifting investor sentiment. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 6.21 points, or 0.15 percent, to 4,156.60 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The Korean financial market opened an hour later than usual at 10 a.m. due to the nationwide college entrance exam. Overnight, US stocks closed mixed, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 0.68 percent and the tec

Nov. 13, 2025

Seoul shares up for 3rd day on eased US shutdown woes

Seoul shares closed higher Wednesday for the third consecutive session, driven by eased concerns over the longest-ever US government shutdown. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 44 points, or 1.07 percent, to close at 4,150.39. Trading volume was moderate at 327.08 million shares worth 15.43 trillion won ($10.5 billion), with gainers far outnumbering decliners 785 to 118. The main index opened lower on losses in technology stocks but r

Nov. 12, 2025

Seoul shares open lower on tech losses despite eased US shutdown woes

Seoul shares opened lower Wednesday, dragged down by losses in technology stocks, even as progress toward ending the longest-ever US government shutdown eased investment jitters. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 8.1 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,098.29 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, US stocks closed mixed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.18 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.25 percent. Technology shares on Wall Street weakened aft

Nov. 12, 2025

Seoul shares up for 2nd day on eased woes over US govt. shutdown

Seoul shares closed higher Tuesday for the second consecutive day as progress toward ending the record-long US government shutdown boosted investor sentiment. The Korean won sharply fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 33.15 points, or 0.81 percent, to close at 4,106.39, after touching as high as 4,187.46. Trade volume was moderate at 375.15 million shares worth 19.93 trillion won ($13.6 billion), with decliners outnumbering gainers 540 to 339. The mar

Nov. 11, 2025

Top 5 chaebol account for over half of Korea's market cap

Companies under South Korea’s five largest conglomerates -- Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor, LG and HD Hyundai -- account for more than half of the country's stock market value after a blistering semiconductor rally that sent the benchmark Kospi index past 4,000 for the first time, industry data showed Tuesday. The combined market capitalization of the main Kospi and the secondary Kosdaq and Konex exchanges jumped 71.5 percent to 3,963.1 trillion won ($2.71 trillion) as of Nov. 3, up from 2,310 trill

Nov. 11, 2025