Foreign holdings of South Koreans stocks on the benchmark Kospi dipped to 606.2 trillion won ($464.1 billion), or 30.51 percent of the total, Thursday -- the lowest level since August 2009 as fears over US Federal Reserve rate hikes and a possible recession have dampened investor optimism. Data from the Korea Exchange showed Sunday heavy net selling by foreign investors this year. They had offloaded 10.6 trillion won in shares as of Friday. The Kospi closed at 2,527.94 that day, a 15 percent dr

SEJONG -- Economic policymakers are poised to take countermeasures against possible issues in the supply of agricultural and livestock products and further price climbs in the wake of the recent heavy rainfall. At a vice-ministerial meeting in Seoul on Friday, First Vice Minister of Economy and Finance Bang Ki-sun pledged to take any necessary action, saying that “there are worries over a possible instability in the supply of agricultural and livestock products.” He also said the g

South Korean stocks closed slightly higher Friday amid persistent worries about the US Federal Reserve's pace of its monetary tightening. The local currency ended almost unchanged against the US dollar. After choppy trading, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 4.16 points, or 0.16 percent, to 2,527.94. Trading volume was moderate at 437.8 million shares worth 7.89 trillion won ($6.05 billion), with gainers outstripping decliners 565 to 275. US producer prices for July slowed

South Korean stocks opened marginally higher Friday amid persistent woes over the US Federal Reserve's monetary tightening. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 3.85 points, or 0.15 percent, to 2,527.63 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The index started 0.16 percent lower at the opening bell. Investors digested the softer-than-expected US consumer prices for July, released Wednesday (US time), as a sign of cooling inflation that raised expectations that the Federal Reserve

South Korea's import prices fell for the first time in three months in July as global oil prices declined amid concerns about a global recession, central bank data showed Friday. The import price index inched down 0.9 percent in July from a month earlier, compared with a 0.5 percent on-month rise in June, according to the preliminary data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). This marked the first on-month decline since April, when import prices edged down 0.6 percent. Compared with a year earlier,

SEJONG -- Economic policymakers said Thursday that they would seek to stabilize consumer prices ahead of the Chuseok holiday by greatly expanding supply and issuing discount coupons for agricultural, livestock and fishery products. They also decided to provide support funds worth 42.6 trillion won ($32.6 billion) for small- and mid-sized enterprises and small merchants before the Chuseok holiday period, Sept. 9-12. The measures were confirmed during a meeting presided over by President Yoon Su

South Korean stocks jumped 1.73 percent Thursday, taking a cue from an overnight Wall Street rally after softer-than-expected US inflation data helped ease worries about a drastic rate hike by the Federal Reserve, analysts said. The local currency gained ground against the US dollar. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) advanced 42.90 points to 2,523.78. Trading volume was moderate at 495.5 million shares worth 9.39 trillion won ($7.26 billion), with advancing stocks far outstripping de

Foreign investors became net buyers of South Korean stocks for the first time in six months in July on expectations that the Federal Reserve may slow the pace of monetary tightening, central bank data showed Thursday. Foreigners' stock investment funds recorded a net inflow of $160 million in July, a turnaround from a net outflow of $3.01 billion the previous month, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). It marked the first net inflow of foreign funds into the local stock marke

South Korea's money supply grew for the third straight month in June on increased deposits amid rising interest rates, central bank data showed Thursday. The country's M2, a key gauge of the money supply, stood at 3,709.3 trillion won ($2.85 trillion) on average in June, up 12 trillion won, or 0.3 percent, from the previous month, according to the preliminary data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). The money supply rose for the third straight month in June after posting the first contractio

South Korea's exports of information and communication technology (ICT) products inched down in July from a year earlier due to a slowdown of global demand in smartphone and computer products, government data showed Thursday. Outbound shipments of ICT products came to $19.34 billion last month, slightly down from $19.48 billion a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Science and ICT. South Korea's ICT imports in July grew 16.8 percent on-year to $13.22 billion

South Korean stocks got off to a strong start Thursday, tracking an overnight rally on Wall Street after the release of better-than-expected inflation data that raised expectations that the US Federal Reserve could slow the pace of monetary tightening. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) jumped 31.87 points, or 1.28 percent, to 2,512.75 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The US consumer price index (CPI) rose 8.5 percent in July, a slowdown from the 9.1 percent gain for June that mark

South Korea's exports jumped 23.2 percent on-year in the first 10 days of August on robust demand for petroleum products and autos, but the country saw its trade deficit widen on soaring fuel costs, data showed Thursday. The country's outbound shipments stood at $15.7 billion in the Aug. 1-10 period, compared with $12.7 billion a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. Imports grew 34.1 percent on-year to $23.4 billion during the cited period, resulting in a