Korean stocks finished 0.56 percent lower on Monday as uncertainties about Europe overshadowed upbeat U.S. data, prompting institutional sell-offs, analysts said.The local currency fell against the U.S. dollar. After opening briefly higher, the benchmark KOSPI dropped 10.52 points to 1,856.70. Trading volume was moderate at 424 million shares worth 2.97 trillion won ($2.58 billion) with losers outpacing gainers 448 to 357. “Investors are not paying much attention to past economic data as they ar

South Korean stocks finished 0.56 percent lower on Monday as uncertainties about Europe overshadowed upbeat U.S. data, prompting institutional sell-offs, analysts said.The local currency fell against the U.S. dollar.After opening briefly higher, the benchmark KOSPI dropped 10.52 points to 1,856.70. Trading volume was moderate at 424 million shares worth 2.97 trillion won ($2.58 billion) with losers outpacing gainers 448 to 357.“Investors are not paying much attention to past economic data as the

Creditors of Korea Kumho Petrochemical Co. are pressing the company to sell its stake in Asiana Airlines Inc., a major affiliate of Kumho Asiana Group, in order to separate the petrochemical firm from the group, industry sources said Monday.Park Chan-koo, chairman of Kumho Petrochemical, has been se

Retirement and pension funds may be allowed to engage in ETF to nurture long-term investmentKorea’s financial regulators plan to nurture the fledgling ETF market by allowing pension and retirement funds to engage in the investment vehicle in question as part of efforts to encourage long-term investment practices. The country’s financial regulators led by the Financial Services Commission are reviewing options aimed at giving an impetus to the ETF market starting from early next year. ETF, or exc

The amount of money borrowed by self-employed entrepreneurs accounted for 33.9 percent of all loans taken out by small and medium enterprises, data showed Sunday, raising worries it may weigh on government efforts to curb private sector debt.Korean lenders extended loans worth 157.9 trillion won ($137.4 billion) to self-employed business-people as of the end of November, from a total of all SME loans that reached 465.2 trillion won, according to the data from the Financial Supervisory Service.Th

South Korean stocks will likely continue to gain ground this week as improving U.S. economic indicators are expected to bolster investor sentiment, analysts said Saturday.The benchmark KOSPI rose about 1.5 percent last week to close at 1,867.22 on Friday. The rise came despite a plunge on Monday caused by news of the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.Investors were spooked by heightened geopolitical risks, but soon turned their focus more to economic news coming from the U.S. and Europe.S

Investors may demand bigger payments next year for losses from eurozone debt crisisForeign investors are expected to reap more than 9 trillion won ($8 billion) in dividends on the South Korean bourse this year, data showed Sunday. In contrast, Korean investors are likely to see their dividend income from foreign firms standing at less than 4 trillion won, illustrating the widening gap that raises the issue of lopsided dividend payout involving foreign investors. According to the Bank of Korea, o

 

South Korea should reduce currency market volatility and expand trade-related financing in order to help local exporters better cope with toughening overseas business conditions, the Finance Ministry and the central bank said Friday.The view was shared at a monthly meeting between the ministry and the Bank of Korea on the nation’s macroeconomic policy direction. They have held the monthly meetings since July.“We shared the view that policy authorities need to work to improve export conditions fo

Korea’s foreign exchange market is expected to undergo a tough first quarter in 2012 as the Korean won is likely to weaken amid lingering eurozone woes and a current account deficit, market watchers said Friday.Global uncertainties stemming from Europe’s debt crisis and a U.S. economic slowdown weighed on the local currency this year.After strengthening to a yearly high of 1,050 won to the U.S. dollar on July 27, the won depreciated 12.2 percent to a yearly low of 1,196 won on Sept. 26.Experts s

Korea’s financial regulator said Friday it has given the green light to the establishment of the country’s first 12 homegrown hedge funds, a move designed to nurture the sector.A total of nine local asset managers, including Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. and Shinhan BNP Paribas Asset Management Co., will manage funds worth around 150 billion won ($130 million), according to the Financial Services Commission.Five securities firms, including top-tier players Daewoo Securities Co. and Samsung

HONG KONG (Yonhap News) ― Global credit appraiser Moody’s Investors Service said Thursday that the outlook for South Korea’s credit rating remains stable despite the death of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. Kim ruled the communist nation for 17 years after inheriting power from his father and died of a heart attack on Saturday. He ruled with an iron fist and pursued nuclear weapons programs during his regime.Moody’s released a report on South Korea saying geopolitical risks will not constrain t

A private equity fund of IBK Securities is expected to take over a large portion of Kumho Industrial worth 1 trillion won ($877 million), according to creditors of the Kumho Asiana Group’s unit.On Friday, creditor banks selected IBK Securities, a brokerage unit of the state-run Industrial Bank of Korea, as the preferred bidder for a package of Kumho Asiana’s transportation units.The M&A targets included Kumho Industrial’s 100 percent stake in Kumho Buslines, 38.74 percent in Seoul Express Bus Te

Korean stocks closed 1.07 percent higher on Friday as upbeat U.S. economic data eclipsed concerns over the eurozone debt crisis, analysts said. The local currency gathered ground against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark KOSPI jumped 19.73 points to 1,867.22. Trading volume was moderate at 459.1 million shares worth 4.25 trillion won ($3.7 billion), with gainers outnumbering decliners 584 to 248.“Positive U.S. job data and consumer sentiment index bolstered hopes on a strengthening U.S. economy and

Hana Financial Group is expected to take over Jeil 2 Savings Bank and Ace Mutual Savings Bank, beating another bidder Kiwoom Securities, according to government officials.An official of the Korea Deposit Insurance Corp. said Thursday that the state-run agency will unveil the preferred bidder as early as Friday. He added that “there is a high possibility that Hana Financial will be picked.”Jeil 2 Savings Bank, which is headquartered in Seoul, has assets of 503.7 billion won ($441.8 million). Ace