Share prices of most listed companies backtracked in 2018 compared with the end of last year, data by South Korea's bourse operator showed Sunday.

According to the Korea Exchange, of the 879 companies traded on the main KOSPI exchange, only 252 posted gains throughout the year, while 626, or 71.2 percent, reported a drop in stock prices. There was one company whose share prices remained unchanged from late 2017.

The KRX excluded newly listed companies and those that were removed from the stock market for whatever reason.

It then said of the 1,231 firms listed on the secondary KOSDAQ market, 72.1 percent (887) experienced a drop in share prices throughout the year, with 339 going up and five remaining unchanged from a year earlier.

The stock exchange said that with the KOSPI dropping 17.28 percent in 2018 and the KOSDAQ falling 15.4 percent, many investors lost money on the trading floor, although there were some exceptions in the case of certain construction-related companies, such as Busan Industry, a remicon manufacturer, and those in the tech sector and pharmaceuticals, like Feelux and Dongsung Bio Pharm. All three are KOSPI traded companies.

Busan Industry's shares surged 450.67 percent during the year, with numbers for Feelux that entered the bio sector by buying a US company and Dongsung rising 281.84 percent and 202.02 percent, respectively.

Among KOSDAQ firms, diesel engine parts maker S&W, as well as engine and machinery components manufacturer Daechang Solution, saw share prices rise 412.32 percent and 226.53 percent, respectively.

In addition companies that could benefit the most from improved inter-Korean relations witnessed a rise in share prices, the KRX said. (Yonhap)