Nextrade expands stock trading

South Korea’s first alternative stock trading system, Nextrade, also known as NXT, has expanded its trading service to 110 stocks, following the smooth launch of its operations earlier this month. The system opened to the public on March 4, initially offering 10 different stocks for trading, and expanded to 110 on Monday. From the Kospi, newly listed stocks include Korean retail giant Shinsegae, energy-to-construction giant GS, top ramyeon maker Nongshim, Hyundai E&C and Samsung Securities. Newl

March 17, 2025

[Contribution] Weakening of US influence?

One thing is clear: if you rely on the US for anything – demand for your exports or supply of critical high-tech products such as advanced semiconductors, financial aid or military protection – you could be increasingly at risk of being strong-armed by the new US administration. This situation is creating havoc in the short run, but in the long run it will create a new world order with a dramatic reduction in the US' influence across the globe. The first thing I want to point out is that this is

March 17, 2025

Seoul Guarantee Insurance marks strong Kospi debut despite market concerns

Insurer concludes first trading day with a 23% gain over debut price Seoul Guarantee Insurance, South Korea's leading guarantee insurer, marked a strong debut on the local stock market Friday, defying concerns over a market slowdown and potential overvaluation. According to the Korea Exchange, SGI closed its first trading day at 32,000 won ($22) per share, a 23 percent gain from its offering price of 26,000 won. The stock opened with a 7.88 percent gain and briefly reached an intraday high of 32

March 16, 2025

Seoul shares finish lower amid Trump's tariff determination

South Korean stocks ended lower for the second consecutive session Friday amid US President Donald Trump's determination to push forward with his controversial tariff policies. The local currency stayed unchanged against the greenback from the previous session. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 7.28 points, or 0.28 percent, to close at 2,566.36. Trade volume was moderate at 357.3 million shares worth 9.8 trillion won ($6.74 billion). Winners, however, outpaced losers 508 to 35

March 14, 2025

Mirae Asset chairman targets Indian market growth with ETFs, AI

Mirae Asset Group founder and Chairman Park Hyeon-joo has identified exchange-traded funds, artificial intelligence and the private equity market as core business areas that will enable the company's asset management unit to take a leap forward in the Indian market. “Mirae Asset will proactively introduce a range of innovative ETFs and further expand market accessibility by utilizing the extensive network of Sharekhan, one of the largest securities firms in India,” he said during a seminar held

March 14, 2025

Seoul shares open tad lower due to Trump not relenting on tariffs

South Korean stocks opened slightly lower Friday after US President Donald Trump reaffirmed his determination to push forward with his controversial tariff policies. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 0.19 point, or 0.01 percent, to 2,573.45 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, Wall Street lost ground after Trump stressed his commitment to tariffs on steel, aluminum and cars, as claims of policy inconsistency lingered due to his administration's recent adjustments to

March 14, 2025

Seoul shares rise almost 1.5% on chip, battery gains

South Korean stocks finished nearly 1.5 percent higher Wednesday, as investors scooped up semiconductor and battery shares despite overnight losses on Wall Street. The local currency rose sharply against the greenback. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 37.22 points, or 1.47 percent, to close at 2,574.82. Trade volume was moderate at 396.7 million shares worth 12.23 trillion won ($8.44 billion), with winners outpacing losers 509 to 354. Foreign and institutional investors tog

March 12, 2025

Seoul shares open higher on chip, battery gains

South Korean stocks opened higher Wednesday, as investors shored up semiconductor and battery shares despite overnight losses on Wall Street. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 16.22 points, or 0.64 percent, to 2,553.82 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, US stock markets fell for the second straight session amid lingering uncertainties over tariff policies of US President Donald Trump. The S&P 500 dipped 0.76 percent, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined

March 12, 2025

Buyer of record W7.4b luxury Banpo apartment was Uzbek national: data

The new owner of a high-end apartment unit in Seoul’s Banpo district, which was sold for a record 7.4 billion won ($5.09 million) late last year, has been identified as a 41-year-old Uzbek national, data showed Monday. A real estate register, seen by Herald Business, a sister paper of The Korea Herald, revealed that the owner acquired the 244-square-meter unit on the 26th floor of Banpo Xi, a landmark apartment complex in Seocho-gu's Banpo-dong, in November last year. That is 300 million won mor

March 10, 2025

Seoul shares end higher on eased growth concerns

South Korean stocks finished slightly higher Monday as concerns over an economic slowdown was eased by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's dovish comments. The local currency lost against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 6.91 points, or 0.27 percent, to close at 2,570.39. Trade volume was moderate at 429.4 million shares worth 9.73 trillion won ($6.7 billion), with losers closely outpacing winners 466 to 406. Individual and institutional investors led the da

March 10, 2025

Seoul shares open tad lower ahead of key inflation data

South Korean stocks started a tad lower Monday ahead of key US inflation data amid escalating uncertainties over US tariff policies. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 1.08 points, or 0.04 percent, to 2,562.40 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said last week that the US economy is solid and he has no plan to adjust monetary policy hurriedly, calming the uncertainties for the world's largest economy. The US consumer price index will be relea

March 10, 2025

Foreign investors exit Korean stocks. Will short selling bring them back?

Analyst warns against overestimating short selling’s influence, pointing to foreign investors' broader risk assessments Amid foreign investors' months-long selling streak of Korean stocks, market watchers are closely monitoring whether the resumption of short selling could drive capital inflows or further dampen investor sentiment. Since September, foreign investors have been net sellers in the Kospi for seven consecutive months, offloading a total of 27.7 trillion won ($19.1 billion). This mark

March 9, 2025

Nongshim to raise ramyeon, snack prices on high costs

Nongshim Co., South Korea's leading instant noodle maker, said Thursday it will raise the prices of its instant noodle and snack products next week due to higher raw materials costs. Nongshim plans to raise the retail prices of 14 "ramyeon" products by 7.2 percent and three snack products by 7.4 percent starting March 17, the company said in a press release. In particular, the price of Shin Ramyun, which represents Nongshim's ramyeon products, will rise to 1,000 won ($0.69) from 950 won, while t

March 6, 2025

S. Korea urged to adopt bitcoin reserve, won-backed stablecoin amid Trump’s crypto push

South Korea should consider integrating bitcoin into its national reserves and issuing a won-backed stablecoin, financial experts and industry leaders said at a forum on Thursday. At the seminar, hosted at the National Assembly by the main opposition Democratic Party, the CEO of blockchain firm xCrypton, Kim Jong-seung, stressed the need for a strategic response if the US moves to create a "national strategic reserve of cryptocurrencies,” as announced by President Donald Trump. Trump is widely e

March 6, 2025

Seoul shares end higher for 2nd day on US tariff reprieve

South Korean stocks ended higher for a second straight session Thursday as investor sentiment improved after US President Donald Trump pulled back some of the tariffs on Canada and Mexico. The Korean won was trading sharply higher against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 18.03 points, or 0.7 percent, to close at 2,576.16. Trade volume was moderate at 600.4 million shares worth 11.1 trillion won ($7.7 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 485 to 392. Forei

March 6, 2025