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349 stories mentioning KOSPIUpdated 9h ago

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

International

South Korea's Household Loans Accelerate in May

South Korea's household loans rose by 9.3 trillion won in May, sharply higher than the 3.5 trillion won increase in April, according to a June 11 release from the Financial Services Commission.Home-backed mortgage loans grew by 4 trillion won during the month, easing from a 5.5 trillion won gain in April.At banks, mortgage lending accelerated to 3.2 trillion won from 2.7 trillion won, while growth in non-bank mortgage lending slowed sharply to 800 billion won from 2.8 trillion won.Other loans increased by 5.3 trillion won, rebounding from a 2 trillion won decline in April, driven by credit loans, which swung to a 3.4 trillion won gain from a 900 billion won drop.

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International

South Korea's ICT Exports Surge 129% in May

South Korea's information and communication technology (ICT) exports rose 128.9% to $47.79 billion in May from a year earlier, marking the highest-ever ICT export growth rate, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said in a Sunday release.Imports increased 36% to $15.70 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $32.09 billion, the release said.Exports increased across all major ICT categories in the month, with semiconductors surging 169.2%, mobile phones up 15.9%, displays adding 2.8%, computers and peripherals soaring 259.6%, and communication equipment up 3.7%, it said.

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Asia

South Korean Shares Open 5% Higher on US-Iran Peace Agreement

South Korean shares opened sharply higher on Monday after the U.S. and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to end the war that has been raging since February.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or Kospi, rose 5%, or 402.5 points, to open at 8,526.12. The Kosdaq also increased by 1.9%, or 19.14 points, to open at 1,048.19.U.S. President Donald Trump said on Truth Social on Monday that the deal with Iran would keep the Strait of Hormuz permanently open "toll-free" to shipping. He also authorized the immediate removal of the U.S. naval blockade from the key waterway.Oil prices declined sharply in early Asian trading after the agreement made the way for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, easing concerns over global supply disruptions. Brent crude shed 3.8% to $84.02 a barrel, while U.S. crude futures slipped 4.1% to $81.40.

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Asia

US, Iran Reach Peace Agreement, Formal Signing Due Friday

U.S. and Iranian officials have confirmed a peace agreement to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with a formal pact expected to be signed in Switzerland on Friday.U.S. President Donald Trump said in a post on Truth Social that the agreement with Iran was "complete" and authorized the immediate lifting of the U.S. naval blockade.Separately, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi confirmed that an agreement had been reached to end the conflict, according to multiple media reports.Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who mediated the negotiations, said in a post on X that the peace accord would be signed on Friday, June 19.Sharif added that both sides had agreed to an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations across all fronts, including in Lebanon.

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Asia

Market Chatter: Bank of Korea Governor Signals Timely Rate Hikes Amid High Inflation

The Bank of Korea flagged the need for timely interest rate hikes, as inflation is expected to remain above its 2% medium-term target for a considerable period, Reuters reported.Governor Shin Hyun-song was quoted Friday as saying that the central bank will "raise interest ​rates on time with a focus on price stability," adding that monetary policy conditions suggest one clear direction.Recent government data showed that consumer price growth in South Korea reached a two-year high in May.(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 Korean Stocks Close Higher as Investors Anticipate Possible End to US-Iran War

South Korean shares closed higher on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump said an agreement to end the war with Iran was possible, backing off from planned strikes.Trump had previously threatened a strong response against the Middle Eastern country, but later said that negotiations had made substantial progress. However, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei dismissed reports of an agreement as "speculative" and clarified that nothing had yet been finalized.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or Kospi, rose 4.6%, or 359.67 points, to close at 8,123.62. The Kosdaq also increased by 3.2%, or 32.12 points, to end the day at 1,029.05.In corporate news, Samsung Electronics (KRX:005930) is currently in discussions with Alphabet's Google to manufacture a part of its ​next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) processor, Reuters reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.Google plans to have Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TPE:2330) manufacture the primary compute chip for its next-generation tensor processing unit, called Icefish, while Samsung Electronics may manufacture a memory interface component using its 2-nanometer process technology.Icefish is being developed in collaboration with MediaTek at present, with mass production possibly commencing in 2028.Shares of Samsung Electronics jumped nearly 8% at market close, while those of TSMC added nearly 3%.

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International

Market Chatter: Bank of Korea Policymaker Backs Timely Rate Hike

South Korea's central bank should raise interest rates "on time" as inflation is expected to remain above target for a considerable period, Reuters reported Friday, citing Bank of Korea Governor Shin Hyun-song.Shin said monetary policy should focus on price stability, adding that recent data and higher oil prices triggered by the Middle East conflict support the case for tighter policy, according to the report.South Korea's consumer inflation accelerated to 3.1% in May, its highest level in more than two years.(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 Korean Shares Open Sharply Higher on Hopes of US-Iran Deal

South Korean shares opened sharply higher on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Washington and Tehran had reached a "great settlement" and were finalizing documents for an agreement.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or Kospi, rose 6.4%, or 499.9 points, to open at 8,263.85. The Kosdaq increased by 3%, or 30.12 points, to open at 1,027.05.

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Asia

Market Chatter: Asia May Face Stagflation Amid Middle East Crisis, ADB President Says

With the war in the Middle East driving up inflation in global economies, Asian economies are at risk of stagflation, Nikkei Asia reported Thursday, citing Asian Development Bank President Masato Kanda.As inflation pressures mount, "There is now a risk of stagflation spiral" due to "declines in demand through lower real wages, and increases in debt burdens from higher interest rates," Kanda told the news outlet on the sidelines of Nikkei's annual Future of Asia forum.According to Kanda, higher shipping, energy, and input costs will lead to a further rise in consumer prices in Asia. There was a risk that the supply chain system would "physically stop functioning," he said.Asian countries are especially impacted by the energy crisis arising from the Middle East war, as they are highly dependent on energy imports that come in through the Strait of Hormuz, the report added."In addition to diversification of the destination of oil and gas, accelerated use of renewable energy and safe nuclear power, as well as stronger energy saving, should have been promoted," Kanda 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.)

^BSEHang Seng^JKSEFTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCIKOSPINikkei 225^NSENifty 50^PSEI^SETShanghai Composite^SZSETaiwan Weighted
Asia

South Korean Shares Close Slightly Higher Amid Cautious Investing, Fresh US-Iran Tensions

South Korean shares closed marginally higher on Thursday as investors remained cautious after the U.S.-Iran war escalated.Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched retaliatory attacks at 18 US military targets at airbases in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan, according to Iranian media reports. The strikes came after the United States military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said it had attacked multiple targets in Iran, describing the operations as acts of "self defense."The Korea Composite Stock Price Index or Kospi rose 33.13 points, or 0.4%, to end at 7,763.95. The Kosdaq also increased by 45.3 points, or 4.5%, to close at 996.93.In corporate news, Gaonchips (KOSDAQ:399720) secured an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) semiconductor design and development contract from an undisclosed AI semiconductor company, according to a Thursday filing with the Korea Exchange. The contract, valued at 29.6 billion won, is valid till June 30, 2028.Shares of Gaonchips rose nearly 7% at market close.In other news, SK Hynix (KRX:000660) plans to raise its wafer capacity by three times by 2034 to keep up with the increasing demand for memory chips needed for AI computing, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won told Nikkei Asia in an interview on Wednesday.The chipmaker is currently building four semiconductor fabrication plants in South Korea's Yongin, with the first facility expected to be completed in early 2027. Chey said the company accelerated the project timeline by a decade, bringing forth a plan that was initially expected to run till 2045.Shares of SK Hynix jumped nearly 3% at market close.

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Asia

Fitch Retains Neutral Outlook on Asia-Pacific Insurance Sector

Fitch Ratings has kept a neutral outlook for the Asia-Pacific insurance sector, according to a recent release.Solid capital buffers, controlled underwriting, and improved asset-liability management mitigate market headwinds, modestly increasing claim inflation, and new regulatory solvency regimes, according to Fitch.Moderately higher claim costs, along with supply chain disruption from geopolitical tensions, have reduced nonlife underwriting margins in the region, Fitch said.Increasing health and motor losses pressure profitability in Korea and Indonesia, while home and motor repair costs show stickiness in Australia, the rating agency said.Rising interest rates, a better reinsurance environment, and prior-period pricing actions offset claim inflation, but late-cycle market and credit risk linger, Fitch said.Japanese insurers face higher capital requirements through a new economic value-based solvency regulation, while Indonesian counterparts are undergoing the first phase of higher minimum equity requirements, according to Fitch.Meanwhile, lingering structural issues led to a deteriorating outlook in China and Taiwan, the rating agency said.

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South Korea Fines Coupang KRW625 Billion for Massive Data Breach
US Markets

South Korea Fines Coupang KRW625 Billion for Massive Data Breach

The South Korean government will fine New York-listed e-commerce giant Coupang 624.7 billion won following a massive leak of personal customer information and the illegal collection of personal data, the country's privacy watchdog announced Thursday.The fine equates to roughly 1.4% of Coupang's 45 trillion won revenue in 2025, Reuters reported. The company, which is operationally based in Seoul, generates more than 90% of its total revenue from South Korea.In addition to the primary fine, Coupang faces a 16.8 million won administrative penalty, corrective orders, and a mandate for public disclosure, South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) said.The regulatory body also fined Coupang's logistics subsidiary, Coupang Fulfillment Service, 248 million won for violating data collection and sensitive information usage provisions.According to the commission, Coupang allowed the personal details of 37.6 million customers to leak due to insufficient basic security management systems, as well as negligence in authentication management and access control.The platform also illegally collected online activity records of about 11.2 million members through third-party websites and stored them in a database, the commission added.Coupang also failed to supervise its advertising partners displaying fraudulent ads, resulting in the illegal collection of records without user consent, according to the regulator.The regulatory crackdown follows a prior disclosure by South Korea's science ministry that a former employee had stolen a security key to gain access to customer accounts without authorization, Reuters reported separately.Coupang also failed to detect an unusual surge in traffic to its customer data until a customer flagged it, the newswire said.The South Korean government had earlier said its probe on Coupang was not related to trade or security concerns and should be dealt with separately from its ongoing talks with Washington.

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Asia

Market Chatter: South Korea Fines Coupang Record 624.7 Billion Won Over Data Breach

South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission imposed a record 624.7 billion won fine on Coupang over a large-scale personal data breach, Bloomberg News reported Thursday.The penalty is reportedly the largest ever imposed in the country for a personal information breach, surpassing the 134.8 billion won fine levied on SK Telecom last year.The regulator said a former employee improperly accessed personal information from nearly 34 million user accounts, and that the breach went undetected for months, according to the report.The commission attributed the incident to inadequate internal controls and data protection measures rather than a sophisticated cyberattack, it added.(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 Korean Shares Open Nearly 3% Lower on Fresh US-Iran Tensions

South Korean shares opened sharply lower on Thursday, owing to an overnight rout of technology stocks on Wall Street and an escalation in the U.S.-Iran war.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or Kospi, fell 2.9%, or 221.2 points, to open at 7,509.62. The Kosdaq declined 1.5%, or 14.46 points, to open at 937.17.

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South Korea's Unemployment Rate Steady in May Amid Cost Pressures
US Markets

South Korea's Unemployment Rate Steady in May Amid Cost Pressures

South Korea's unemployment rate held steady at 2.9% in May, unchanged from April, amid rising inflationary pressures.On a year-over-year basis, the latest print was up 0.1 percentage point, according to the Ministry of Data and Statistics' Economically Active Population Survey published Thursday.The jobless count in May climbed 25,000 to 878,000 from the prior month, and up 3% from 853,000 in May 2025.The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate also steadied at 2.8% for a second straight month. The print was in line with the median forecast by analysts polled by Trading Economics.The economically active population fell 815,000 from April to 29.998 million, and was down 14,000 year over year. The labor force participation rate dropped 0.4 percentage point to 65.2% from 64.9% in April, and was down 0.4 percentage point from a year earlier.Total employed persons fell to 29.120 million from 28.961 million in April. Year over year, employment was down by 40,000, or 1%.The employment-to-population ratio for those aged 15 and over rose to 63.3% in May from 63.0% in April, but was down 0.5 percentage points from a year prior. The ratio for those aged 15 to 64 edged up slightly to 70.2% from 70% in April.The data comes amid rising price pressures in South Korea. Consumer prices rose 3.1% in May from a year earlier, the sharpest jump since March 2024, driven by petroleum product prices that were 24.2% up year over year.Core inflation, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, accelerated to 2.5% from 2.2% in April, marking its fastest pace since February 2024.The Bank of Korea left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.50% at its latest policy meeting on May 28."Inflationary pressure has increased due to the Middle East war, growth has increased more than previously expected, supported by strong exports, and financial stability risks have still remained," the central bank said.At the time, the BOK noted that employment continued its upward trend, and is expected to improve further, supported by a strong semiconductor sector.

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International

South Korea's Unemployment Rate Steady at 2.9% in May

South Korea's unemployment rate was unchanged at 2.9% in May versus the previous month, according to data from the Ministry of Data and Statistics released on Thursday.However, the reading was up from 2.8% a year earlier.The labor force participation rate rose to 65.2% in May from 64.9% in April, while the total number of employed persons edged up to 29.12 million from 28.96 million a month ago.

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Asia

South Korean Shares Close Sharply Lower on Fresh US-Iran Conflict

South Korean shares closed sharply lower on Wednesday on renewed US-Iran tensions after the US military's Central Command said it carried out self-defense strikes against Iran after Iranian forces allegedly shot down a U.S. attack helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.In retaliation, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched attacks on U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan. The IRGC attacked the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait with drones, while also setting off a long-range missile strike against an air base in Jordan's Azraq.The Korea Composite Stock Price Index or Kospi fell 366.11 points, or 4.5%, to end at 7,730.82. The Kosdaq also decreased by 16.18 points, or 1.7%, to close at 951.63.South Korea plans to crack down on speculative foreign-exchange trading, with regulators set to carry out on-site inspections and investigations into suspected market-disruptive activities, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing Moon Jisung, deputy finance minister for international affairs.The move comes as the country intensifies its efforts to defend its currency after the won slid to its weakest level since 2009 in the week ended June 6.The Korean won gained 1.2% to 1,509.50 per dollar on Tuesday, extending its 2% gain on Monday, after the government reaffirmed its commitment to support the currency and investigate speculative trading.In corporate news, Prestige Biologics (KOSDAQ:334970) secured a contract to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients from an undisclosed client, according to a Wednesday filing with the Korea Exchange.The contract, valued at 2.67 billion won, is valid till March 31, 2027.Shares of Prestige Biologics added nearly 2% at market close.

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Asia

Market Chatter: South Korea Plans to Crack Down on Speculative FX Trading Amid Weakening Currency

South Korea plans to crack down on speculative foreign-exchange trading, with regulators set to carry out on-site inspections and investigations into suspected market-disruptive activities, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing Moon Jisung, deputy finance minister for international affairs.The move comes as the country intensifies its efforts to defend its currency after the won slid to its weakest level since 2009 in the week ended June 6, the report said.The Korean won gained 1.2% to 1,509.50 per dollar on Tuesday, extending its 2% gain on Monday, after the government reaffirmed its commitment to support the currency and investigate speculative trading. Despite the revival, the won remains one of Asia's weakest-performing currencies in 2026, down 5.3%, outperforming only the Indonesian rupiah and Indian rupee, it 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 Korean Shares Slide at Open on Renewed US-Iran Tensions

South Korean shares opened sharply lower on Wednesday on renewed US-Iran tensions.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index, or Kospi, fell 2.4%, or 197.16 points, to open at 7,899.77. The Kosdaq also declined 0.95%, or 9.22 points, to open at 958.58.Sentiment turned cautious after the US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said it carried out self-defense strikes against Iran after Iranian forces allegedly shot down a U.S. attack helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.Major heavyweight stocks led the losses in early trading, with Samsung Electronics (KRX:005930) shares declining over 4% and SK Hynix (KRX:000660) shares falling nearly 4%.

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Asia

South Korean Markets Rebound Sharply as Tech Giants Lead Recovery

South Korean stocks closed sharply higher on Tuesday, marking a rebound from the previous session's 8.3% plunge, thanks to strong gains made by technology stocks. Market heavyweights Samsung Electronics (KRX:005930) and SK Hynix (KRX:000660) added nearly 9% and 16%, respectively, at market close.The Korea Composite Stock Price Index or Kospi rose 612.52 points, or 8.2%, to end at 8,096.93. The Kosdaq also increased by 56.42 points, or 6.2%, to close at 967.81.The volatility prompted the Korea Exchange to deploy "sidecar" mechanisms. It activated a five-minute buy-side sidecar on the country's primary and secondary stock markets on Tuesday morning.A buy-side sidecar was activated for the KOSPI market at 9:12 a.m. after KOSPI200 Futures rose 5.2%. A similar measure was triggered for the KOSDAQ at 9:28 a.m. following a 6.62% jump in KOSDAQ150 Futures.A buy-side sidecar is activated when the KOSPI200 Futures index or the KOSDAQ150 futures rise 5% or more for at least one minute.In corporate news, chipmaker SK Hynix placed an order with Hanmi Semiconductor (KRX:042700) for TC Bonder 4.5 Griffin equipment for HBM4 manufacturing, according to a Monday filing with the Korea Exchange.The contract, worth 44.2 billion won, is valid until Sept. 2.Shares of Hanmi Semiconductor added over 9% at market close.In other news, Xi S&D (KRX:317400) secured a contract worth 141.1 billion won to build an apartment complex and neighborhood commercial facilities in Busan, according to a Tuesday filing with the Korea Exchange.The project comprises the construction of six basement levels and 45 above-ground floors on a site located at Busan's 1394-335 Jung-dong, Haeundae-gu, the filing said.The construction is expected to take 48 months.Shares of Xi S&D, which engages in construction, housing development, and home solution businesses, rose over 3% at market close.

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