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456 stories mentioning KOSPIUpdated 1d ago

Opened up 1.8% on the US-Iran deal and strong May export prices driven by a surge in semiconductor-linked products.

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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

South Korea's Foreign Exchange Reserves Edge Lower in May

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.

KOSPI
Asia

Several Asian Countries Face Additional US Tariffs Over Forced-Labor Trade Practices

Several Asian countries could soon face additional duties on some of their exports to the U.S. following Washington's probe into imports produced using forced labor, the Office of U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) said Tuesday.The USTR said Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan, and Vietnam are among the 54 economies that have failed to impose and effectively enforce a forced-labor import ban.The USTR proposed a 10% additional tariff for economies that have partially enforced bans on the importation of certain forced-labor goods and a 12.5% tariff for the rest.

^BSE^HNX^HOSEHang Seng^JKSEFTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCIKOSPINikkei 225^NSE^PSEI^SETShanghai Composite^STI^SZSETaiwan Weighted
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.

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Asian Banking Sector Surges Past Automobiles to Lead May Activity Growth, S&P Global Survey Finds
US Markets

Asian Banking Sector Surges Past Automobiles to Lead May Activity Growth, S&P Global Survey Finds

Most Asian business sectors expanded in May, with banking overtaking the automobile industry, according to the S&P Global Asia Sector PMI released on Wednesday.Leading the upturn for the first time in seven months, the banking sector expanded at its second-steepest rate in over five and a half years. The growth follows a previous S&P Global forecast warning that credit losses in the Asia-Pacific banking sector could surge by approximately $180 billion due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.The automobile sector, last month's top performer, slipped to second place, though its pace of growth remained historically high.Of the 18 sectors monitored, only forestry and paper products, alongside construction materials, recorded a contraction in new orders; however, these declines were softer than in the previous month. In contrast, the transportation sector posted the strongest surge in new orders, despite looming concerns over U.S.-Iran negotiations.Volatility persists in the energy and oil industries due to the precarious state of U.S.-Iran talks aimed at ending the Middle East conflict."Oil prices received a boost yesterday as talks between the US and Iran appeared to break down -- again. This has become a common pattern in recent months, and there are still plenty of mixed messages," ING'S Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey said in a Tuesday note. "As a result, oil prices continue to be whipsawed by quickly changing headlines."Operating expenses increased across all 18 sectors. S&P Global highlighted that real estate recorded a renewed rise in input prices, while the chemicals sector posted the sharpest cost inflation rate.All sectors increased their selling prices except for the consumer services sector.

ASX 200^BSE^HNX^HOSEHang Seng^JKSEKOSPINikkei 225^NSENifty 50^SETShanghai Composite^SZSETaiwan Weighted
International

Banking Sector Growth Fastest Among 18 Broader Asian Sectors in May, S&P Data Shows

Banking sector growth was the fastest among the 18 broader Asian sectors in May, with activity expanding at the strongest pace in seven months, S&P Global said in a Wednesday release.Output growth was recorded across 16 of the 18 monitored Asian sectors last month, which was unchanged from April. Only the forestry and paper products, and construction materials sectors incurred declines from April, along with lower new orders received, S&P said.New orders rose across the remaining 16 sectors last month, led by the transportation sector.Employment increased in 10 of 18 sectors, with software & services and technology equipment experiencing the strongest hiring, while insurance witnessed a cutdown in employed staff.

^BSE^HNX^HOSEHang Seng^JKSEFTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCIKOSPINikkei 225^NSE^PSEI^SETShanghai Composite^STI^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.

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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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Asia

Market Chatter: Nvidia Chief, SK Group Chairman Discuss AI Memory Cooperation

Nvidia's chief executive officer, Jensen Huang, and SK Group chairman, Chey Tae-won, met in Taipei to discuss potential AI memory cooperation in the future, according to a report by the Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday.During the discussions, the two chiefs discussed their achievements in AI memory and agreed to work together on evolving AI infrastructure, the report added.The Nvidia CEO is expected to hold meetings with several South Korean companies later this week, according to industry sources.(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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Asia

Market Chatter: Renault Korea Motors Sales Plunge 40% in May

Renault Korea Motors' vehicle sales dropped by 40% year over year in May, due to weaker domestic and global demand, Yonhap News reported Monday.The South Korean unit of France's Renault sold 5,913 vehicles in May, the report said.Domestic sales declined by 31% in May to 2,893, while overseas sales dropped by 47% to 3,020 units, 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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Asia

South Korea, Africa to Improve Strategic Cooperation

Representatives from South Korea and 50 African nations resolved to deepen economic and strategic ties across several fronts, according to a ministry release on Tuesday.The parties mutually agreed to recognize Africa's strategic importance and resolved to deepen ties, according to a joint statement by the foreign ministers and representatives from South Korea and African countries.Meanwhile, South Korea reaffirmed its support for the continent's economic integration efforts through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).The parties will now work to enhance cooperation in several sectors such as food security, agriculture, climate change, health and digital transformation.

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Asia

Market Chatter: South Korean Equity Market Surpasses Indian Market

South Korea's equity market has overtaken the Indian stock market as the world's sixth largest stock market, according to a report by Bloomberg on Tuesday.The rally is spurred by strong growth in the semiconductor stocks, which have risen due to a global AI infrastructure mass buildout, the report added.Listed companies' market capitalization zoomed 86% year over year to $5 trillion, compared to India's market cap which fell to $4.8 trillion, according to Bloomberg's data.(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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International

South Korean Corporate Financing Up 13% in April

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.During the period, there were four initial public offerings, and the IPO proceeds fell 25% month over month to 157.7 billion won.Public equity offerings, on the other hand, rose by over 11% to 255.9 billion won.The outstanding balance of commercial papers as of end of April was 246.888 trillion won, while short-term bonds stood at 93.295 trillion, the data showed.

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Asia

South Korean Shares Open at New High on AI Optimism, Overnight Wall Street Gains

South Korean stocks opened at a new high on Tuesday, crossing the 8,800 threshold, largely buoyed by overnight gains on Wall Street and continued investor optimism toward AI-related stocks.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or Kospi, rose 1.07%, or 94.81 points, to open at 8,883.19. The Kosdaq decreased 0.5%, or 5.13 points, to open at 1,044.89.In addition, investors also had an optimistic outlook on a possible truce in the U.S.-Iran war ahead after U.S. President Donald Trump told ABC News on Monday that an agreement with Iran may come through "over the next week."South Korea's equity market surpassed India to become the world's sixth-largest stock market, Bloomberg News reported Tuesday.The total market capitalization of South Korea-listed firms jumped 86% so far in 2026 to $5 trillion, while the Indian stock market's total capitalization has decreased to $4.8 trillion, the report said.

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