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Asia

Korea Exchange Halts Kospi, Kosdaq Trading for Five Minutes After Strong Purchasing Spree

The Korea Exchange activated a five-minute buy-side sidecar on the country's primary and secondary stock market on Tuesday morning after investors rushed to purchase stocks amid a rebound in technology stocks and U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement on Truth Social of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.The Korea Exchange announced the order at 9:12 am after the KOSPI200 Futures added 60.80 points, or 5.2%, to trade at 1,239.05.The five-minute buy-side sidecar on Kosdaq was activated at 9:28 am after the KOSDAQ150 Futures also rose by 104.10 points, or 6.62%, to trade at 1,676.30.A buy-side sidecar is activated when the KOSPI200 Futures index or the KOSDAQ150 futures rise 5% or more for at least one minute.

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South Korea's First-Quarter GDP Rises 3.8% Year Over Year on Chip Surge
US Markets

South Korea's First-Quarter GDP Rises 3.8% Year Over Year on Chip Surge

South Korea's economy expanded 3.8% in the first quarter from a year earlier, according to data released Tuesday by the Bank of Korea.The latest print accelerated from 1.6% growth in the fourth quarter of 2025, beating the consensus forecast of 3.6% tracked by Investing.com.On a quarter-over-quarter basis, the Bank of Korea revised its advance estimate upward by 0.1 percentage point to 1.8%, rebounding from a 0.1% contraction in the previous quarter. The quarterly figure also topped the consensus forecast of 1.7%.The latest data confirmed a semiconductor-led surge that the Bank of Korea reported in its advance estimate in April. Major players in the semiconductor field include Samsung Electronics (KRX:005930) and SK Hynix (KRX:000660).Exports of goods and services rose 11.8% year over year in the first quarter, significantly faster than the 4.6% jump in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to the latest data.Imports of goods and services likewise jumped 8.5% from a year earlier in Q1, also accelerating from the 3.9% increase in Q4 2025.Elsewhere, manufacturing output climbed 7.2% year over year, versus the 2.4% increase in Q4 2025. The agriculture, forestry and fishing sector rose 3.5% in Q1 from a year earlier, reversing the 0.5% dip in Q4 2025.Output from the electricity, gas and water supply sector contracted for the fourth straight quarter in Q1, dropping 5% after the 4.4% slide in Q4 2025.On the expenditure side, private consumption rose 2.7% year over year in Q1 after growing 2.4% in Q4 2025, while government spending jumped 3.1%, slowing from the 3.6% expansion previously.ING Think Senior Economist for South Korea, Min Joo Kang, wrote in an April 23 note that growth is expected to slow in the second quarter."We expect strong chip momentum to continue, but also a slowdown in 2Q26 growth as energy disruptions affect activity across petrochemicals and other manufacturing sectors.""The Korean government implemented a temporary export ban on Naphtha, and Korean companies increased oil and gas imports from outside the Middle East. Despite these measures, manufacturing activity still cannot be sustained at full capacity," Min added.Meanwhile, Stephen Lee, an economist at Meritz Securities in Seoul, expects stronger export momentum in the third quarter and export growth of around 50% for the full year."It is truly an unprecedented pace, raising market expectations again and again and ​exceeding them again and again," Lee was quoted by Reuters as saying last week.The Bank of Korea recently raised its economic growth forecast for the country to 2.6% this year from its previous 2% growth outlook, citing the semiconductor boom.BOK Governor Shin Hyun-song expects strong exports to contribute 0.7 percentage points to the country's GDP growth in 2026, Yonhap reported May 28, citing a press conference.

^KOSDAQKOSPIKRX:000660KRX:005930
Asia

South Korean Shares Jump at Open on Tech Stock Revival, Israel-Iran Ceasefire

South Korean stocks opened higher on Tuesday amid a rebound in technology stocks and US President Donald Trump's announcement on Truth Social of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or Kospi, rose 2.85%, or 213.35 points, to open at 7,697.76. The Kosdaq also added 2.88%, or 26.3 points, to open at 937.69.Major heavyweight stocks led the gains in early trading, with Samsung Electronics (KRX:005930) adding over 4%, SK Hynix (KRX:000660) adding more than 6%, and Hyundai Motor (KRX:005380) and Kia (KRX:000270) adding more than 3% and 7%, respectively.

^KOSDAQKOSPIKRX:000270KRX:000660KRX:005380KRX:005930
International

South Korea's Q1 GDP Rises 3.8% Year Over Year

South Korea's GDP grew 3.8% year over year in the first quarter, according to preliminary data released by the Bank of Korea on Tuesday.The pace of growth was faster than the 1.6% expansion recorded in the previous quarter, exceeding the consensus forecast for a 3.6% growth, according to Investing.com.On a quarter-over-quarter basis, the economy expanded 1.8%, rebounding from the 0.1% contraction in the previous quarter. It also topped the consensus forecast of 1.7%.

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Asia

South Korean Shares Plunge Amid Over AI-Led Investment Worries, Possible US Fed Rate Hikes

South Korean shares tanked on Monday as investors offloaded stocks amid renewed concerns over the profitability of AI-led investments and fears that the U.S. Federal Reserve could adopt a more hawkish monetary policy stance due to a better-than-expected U.S. jobs report for May.The Korea Composite Stock Price Index or Kospi fell 676.18 points, or 8.3%, to end at 7,484.41. The Kosdaq also decreased by 91.05 points, or 9.1%, to close at 911.39.The Korea Exchange activated a five-minute sell-side sidecar on the country's primary and secondary stock markets on Monday morning as concerns rose over the semiconductor sector, and investor sentiment was dragged down by fears of further interest rate hikes after the U.S.'s better-than-expected jobs data.A sell-side sidecar is activated when the KOSPI200 Futures index or the KOSDAQ150 futures decline 5% or more for at least one minute.In corporate news, SK Group subsidiaries SK Hynix (KRX:000660) and SK Telecom (KRX:017670) unveiled separate partnerships with U.S. chip giant Nvidia to support AI infrastructure expansion and next-generation memory development.Meanwhile, SK Hynix signed a multi-year technology partnership with Nvidia to develop next-generation memory solutions. Shares of SK Hynix fell over 7% at market close.

^KOSDAQKOSPIKRX:000660KRX:017670
Asia

Korea Exchange Halts Kospi, Kosdaq Trading for Five Minutes After Strong Sell-Off

The Korea Exchange activated a five-minute sell-side sidecar on the country's primary and secondary stock market on Monday morning as concerns rose over the semiconductor sector, and investor sentiment was dragged down by fears of further interest rate hikes after the better-than-expected May U.S. jobs report.The Korea Exchange announced the order at 9:34 am after the KOSPI200 Futures shed 81.30 points, or 6.3%, to trade at 1,216.85.The five-minute sell-side sidecar on Kosdaq was activated after the KOSDAQ150 Futures shed 140.60 points, or 7.95%, to trade at 1,625.90.A sell-side sidecar is activated when the KOSPI200 Futures index or the KOSDAQ150 futures decline 5% or more for at least one minute.

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Asia

South Korea's President Lee Proposes Former Naver Chief Han Seong-sook as New Prime Minister

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has nominated Han Seongsook, the Minister of SMEs and Startups and former chief executive of internet company ​Naver (KRX:035420), as the country's next prime minister, the presidential office said Sunday.If confirmed by parliament, Han would become the country's first female prime minister in two decades, Reuters said in a same-day report.

^KOSDAQKOSPIKRX:035420
Asia

South Korean Shares Open Lower

South Korean stocks opened lower Monday, tracking losses on Wall Street on Friday after a hot U.S. jobs report fueled expectations of further interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve.Major heavyweight stocks led the decline in early trading, with Samsung Electronics (KRX:005930) declining over 9% and SK Hynix (KRX:000660) falling over 8%.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or Kospi, fell 1.4%, or 112.5 points, to open at 8,048.09. The Kosdaq shed 4.4%, or 42.83 points, to open at 959.61.

^KOSDAQKOSPIKRX:000660KRX:005930
Asia

South Korean Shares Plummet as Global Tech Selloff Hits Seoul Chip Giants; Samsung Loses 6%, SK Hynix Falls 9%

South Korean shares plunged at market close on Friday to end the week in red, as investors offloaded key chip stocks following overnight weakness in US semiconductor stocks.Market-moving semiconductor manufacturers Samsung Electronics (KRX:005930) and SK Hynix (KRX:000660) witnessed losses of over 6% and 9% in their stocks at the end of the trading day.The Korea Composite Stock Price Index or Kospi fell 478.82 points, or 5.5%, to end at 8,160.59. The Kosdaq also decreased by 47.29 points, or 4.5%, to close at 1,002.44.In economic news, South Korea booked a current account surplus of $28.3 billion in April, down from $37.9 billion in March, according to data from the Bank of Korea published Friday.The figure beat analysts' $11.4 billion surplus forecast, according to Trading Economics.In corporate news, TES (KOSDAQ:095610) secured a semiconductor manufacturing equipment contract from chipmaker SK Hynix, the South Korean manufacturer of chips, solar cell, and display equipment.The contract, valued at 21.2 billion won, is valid until Jan. 15, 2027. Its shares closed over 2% higher.

^KOSDAQKOSPIKOSDAQ:095610KRX:000660KRX:005930
Asia

South Korean Shares Open Lower Amid Uncertainty Around US-Iran Peace Deal

South Korean stocks opened lower on Friday as investors adopted a wait-and-see approach amid uncertainty over the U.S.-Iran peace agreement.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or Kospi, fell 3.66%, or 316.21 points, to open at 8,323.2. The Kosdaq shed 14.51 points to open at 1,035.22.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said earlier this week that "no tangible progress" had been made in the country's negotiations with the U.S. to end the war, according to CBS News.Araghchi said communication with the U.S. was ongoing but warned that any attack by Israel on Lebanon's capital, Beirut, under its campaign against Hezbollah would lead to fresh tensions in the U.S.-Iran conflict.

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International

South Korea's Current Account Surplus Falls in April

South Korea booked a current account surplus of $28.3 billion in April, down from $37.9 billion in March, according to data from the Bank of Korea published Friday.The figure beat analysts' $11.4 billion surplus forecast, according to Trading Economics.The goods account surplus declined to $33.9 billion from $35.7 billion the previous month as exports jumped 54.5% to $90.6 billion.Services account logged a larger deficit of $2.42 billion from $1.31 billion in March.

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Asia

South Korean Shares Close Nearly 2% Lower on Overnight Wall Street Losses, Fresh Middle East Tensions

South Korean shares closed nearly 2% lower on Thursday, after overnight losses on Wall Street and fresh Middle East tensions following the U.S. launching new military attacks on Iran's Qeshm Islands.The Korea Composite Stock Price Index or Kospi fell 162.08 points, or 1.8%, to end at 8,639.41. The Kosdaq increased by 23.7 points, or 2.3%, to close at 1,049.73.In economic news, South Korea's official foreign reserve assets stood at $427.0 billion at the end of May, compared with $427.9 billion in the previous month, according to Bank of Korea data published Thursday.The amount consists of $380.7 billion in securities, $21.4 billion in deposits, $4.4 billion in International Monetary Fund reserve position, $15.8 billion in special drawing rights, and $4.8 billion in gold.In corporate news, medical equipment manufacturer Plasmapp (KOSDAQ:405000) secured a supply contract for U510 and STERI700 sterilizers from Qmed Master Distribution, according to a Thursday filing with the Korea Exchange.The contract, valued at 3.53 billion won, is valid till June 1, 2027.Shares of Plasmapp fell nearly 4% at market close.

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Asia

Market Chatter: South Korea's Ruling Democratic Party Wins Local Elections

South Korea's ruling Democratic ​Party secured the majority of seats in local elections, early vote counting showed on Thursday, Reuters reported the same day.President Lee Jae Myung's party won Busan and led in 12 of 16 mayoral and provincial contests across the country, the report said.Meanwhile, incumbent Oh Se-hoon of the opposition People Power Party (PPP) held a narrow lead in the capital Seoul, where voting disruptions have been reported over a shortage of ballot papers, the report said.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

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Japan

South Korean Shares Open Lower on Overnight Wall Street Losses, Fresh US-Iran Tensions

South Korean shares opened sharply lower on Thursday, owing to overnight losses on Wall Street and fresh Middle East tensions after the U.S. launched new military attacks on Iran's Qeshm Islands.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or Kospi, fell 2%, or 177.67 points, to open at 8,623.82. The Kosdaq increased 0.7%, or 6.88 points, to open at 1,032.91.The major U.S. stock indices closed lower on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average declining 1.21%, the S&P 500 falling 0.74%, and the Nasdaq Composite shedding 0.89%.The U.S. military said it tackled multiple Iranian missiles and drone attacks in the Gulf and carried out self-defense strikes on an Iranian military ground control station on Qeshm Island. U.S. forces also shot down three Iranian attack drones that were heading toward civilian mariners in regional waters, according to the U.S. Central Command.

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South Korea's Foreign Reserves Drop to $427 Billion in May as Securities Drag
US Markets

South Korea's Foreign Reserves Drop to $427 Billion in May as Securities Drag

South Korea's official foreign reserves fell slightly to $427.0 billion at the end of May, down by $900 million from $427.9 billion in April, according to data released by the Bank of Korea on Thursday.The decline was driven by a drop in securities holdings, which fell $3.4 billion to $380.7 billion. Securities remain the largest component of the reserve portfolio at 89.2% of the total, covering government bonds, agency bonds, debentures, mortgage-backed securities, and asset-backed securities.Deposits partially offset the decline, rising $2.6 billion to $21.4 billion. Special Drawing Rights held steady at $15.8 billion, while gold and the country's IMF reserve position were little changed at $4.8 billion and $4.4 billion, respectively.South Korea ranked 12th among countries by reserve holdings as of the end of April 2026, the BoK said, citing data from the IMF and relevant central banks. China led with $3.411 trillion, followed by Japan at $1.383 trillion and Switzerland at $1.082 trillion.The reserve data comes as South Korea recently reported a record-high trade surplus in May on the back of a semiconductor boom.Trade surplus reached nearly $27 billion during the month, topping market expectations of $24.3 billion and exceeding April's $23.8 billion.Exports increased 53.2% to $87.8 billion, topping the $80 billion mark for the third straight month, and marking the sharpest pace of expansion since January 1984. It also beat the consensus 48.4% growth forecast of Investing.com.The Bank of Korea recently held its policy rate unchanged at 2.5%. However, BoK Governor Shin Hyun-song signaled tighter policy in the near term."There is a need to raise interest rates at an appropriate time in the future."ING economist Min Joo Kang said in a note last week that "[h]igher GDP and CPI forecasts for 2026 and 2027 reinforce our view that BoK hikes could persist into 2027." ING expects the BoK to tighten its policy in July.

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International

Taiwan to Impose Temporary Anti-Dumping Duties on Steel Imports from South Korea, China

Taiwan will impose temporary anti-dumping duties on cold-rolled flat non-directional electromagnetic steel imports from South Korea and mainland China after preliminary findings indicated dumping practices had caused harm to the domestic industry, the Ministry of Finance announced Tuesday.To prevent further damage during the ongoing investigation, authorities said temporary anti-dumping duties will be imposed starting June 8 for a period of four months.The preliminary findings cover key exporters from South Korea, including POSCO and affiliated firms, as well as all exporters from mainland China, with duties set at 45.7% to 49.8% for Korean suppliers and 26.4% for Chinese shipments.Officials said the review process will continue under prescribed statutory timelines, with final determinations on dumping and industry injury to follow before a decision on long-term anti-dumping measures is made.

^^SSEC^KOSDAQKOSPI^SZSETaiwan Weighted
Asia

S&P Sees Mixed Views on South Korea's Offshore Wind Power Push Given Lack of Returns, Complex Processes

The South Korean government's push for more offshore wind power capacity will receive varying sentiments from producers, S&P Global Ratings said in a Tuesday release.Players may not see ample potential returns from the projects to compensate for the protracted and complicated review processes and associated execution risks, S&P said.The government is looking at offshore wind power to boost energy self-sufficiency and the country's capacity for use cases, including AI data centers, with a goal of a tenfold increase in the capacity by 2030, according to the rating agency.While government-linked entities have committed to the efforts, they have only allotted a small portion of their capital expenditure, S&P credit analyst Ji Cheng said.The analyst expects a minimal credit impact from the measure given the low single-digit percentage of capex allotment to wind power.

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Asia

South Korean Shares Close Above 8,800 Points on Gains in AI-Led Tech Shares; Samsung Adds Over 3%

South Korean stocks closed above the 8,800-point threshold for the first time on Tuesday, with gains in AI-driven technology shares, led by Samsung Electronics (KRX:005930), which added 3.3% at market close.The Korea Composite Stock Price Index or Kospi rose 13.11 points, or 0.2%, to end at 8,801.49. The Kosdaq decreased by 24 points, or 2.3%, to close at 1,026.03.In economic news, South Korea's corporate financing through debt and equity issuance rose by 13% to 22.616 trillion won from a month earlier, according to data released by the Financial Supervisory Service on Tuesday.Equity issues fell 6% from 440.2 billion won to 413.6 billion won, while debt issues grew 13.6% to 22.202 trillion won in April, from 19.543 trillion won in the previous month.In corporate news, Samsung Heavy Industries (KRX:010140) will build an offshore production facility for an undisclosed North American client, according to a Tuesday filing with the Korean Exchange.The contract is worth 4.33 trillion won, and the facility is expected to be completed by July 10, 2030.Shares of Samsung Heavy Industries rose nearly 1% at market close.

^KOSDAQKOSPIKRX:005930KRX:010140
Asia

GM Korea's May Sales Decline 5.9% in May

GM Korea's domestic and overseas sales fell 5.9% year over year in May, according to a company release on Monday.The company sold 47,081 vehicles in May, comprising 808 domestic sales and 46,273 overseas sales, the data showed.The automotive company is now introducing monthly promotional campaigns to boost local sales, it said.

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Asia

Market Chatter: South Korea's Alcohol Expenditures Drop at Faster Pace in Q1

South Korea's alcohol expenditures fell at its sharpest pace in seven years during the first quarter of the year, according to data reported by Statistics Korea, as cited by the Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday.The decline in consumption was attributed to a change in drinking habits, the report added.Households' alcohol consumption came in at 13,000 won per month on average, representing a 9% year over year decline, the report said.Meanwhile, shipments of alcoholic beverages in the country dropped by over 17% from a decade earlier to 3.15 million kiloliters in 2024, the report noted.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

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