South Korean households’ outlook for inflation in the next 12 months rose this month to the highest level in nine years and seven months, according to a Bank of Korea survey released Tuesday ahead of its rate decision Thursday. Survey respondents forecast inflation to average 3.3 percent, up from the previous record high of 3.1 percent in April. In a monthly survey of 2,500 households conducted May 10-17, the BOK said consumers have braced for higher borrowing costs ahead, wit

Seoul shares ended lower on Tuesday as investors remain concerned about inflation despite US President Joe Biden's remark that US tariffs imposed on Chinese imports are being reviewed for reduction. The South Korean won fell against the US dollar. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 41.51 points, or 1.57 percent, to 2,605.87. Trading volume was moderate at 837.87 million shares worth 8.6 trillion won (US$6.8 billion), with decliners outpacing gainers 742 to 136. Institutions

Chiefs of South Korea’s KB Financial Group and US’ Jefferies Financial Group discussed strengthening and expanding its existing partnership in the global investment banking market, the Korean banking giant said Tuesday. In a meeting with Jefferies Financial Group President Brian Friedman, KB Financial Group Chairman Yoon Jong-kyoo discussed plans to build a stronger cooperation in investment banking to expand assets tied to their alternative investment businesses under banks, securi

Shares of Hybe, the company behind K-pop sensation BTS, will account for some 10 percent of the much-anticipated KPOP ETF, an exchange-traded fund designed by Seoul-based intellectual property-focused company builder Contents Technologies, an industry source said Tuesday. “Hybe with its market cap standing at 8.9 trillion won ($7.1 million) is supposed to make up some 20 or 30 percent of the KPOP ETF, but with the product being a passive exchange traded-fund, there will be a cap putting i

Exports by South Korean large companies rose at the fastest pace on record in 2021 as demand for chips and autos remained robust amid the global economic recovery, data showed Tuesday. Overseas shipments by the country's 875 large exporters were valued at $415.8 billion in 2021, up 29.5 percent from the previous year, according to the data from Statistics Korea and the Korea Customs Service. It marked the fastest on-year gain since 2015, when the agencies began compiling related data. The a

Almost all market watchers expect the Bank of Korea (BOK) will raise its key interest rate this week to combat inflation and align with monetary tightening in major economies, a poll showed Tuesday. According to the poll of 100 bond market experts conducted by the Korea Financial Investment Association, 94 percent said the central bank will hike the interest rate at a rate-setting meeting to be held Thursday. The ratio was much higher than the 50 percent that expected a rate hike in a similar Ap

Seoul shares opened lower Tuesday, bucking overnight gains on Wall Street, as investors await the minutes of the Federal Reserve's latest rate-setting meeting this week to take a cue about the US central bank's future tightening move. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 1.73 points, or 0.07 percent, to trade at 2,645.65 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2 percent to 31,880.24 and the tech-focused Nasdaq index gained 1.6

The number of executives at South Korea's major firms expanded 4.5 percent on-year in the first quarter of the year despite the coronavirus pandemic, a corporate tracker said Tuesday. A total of 353 leading companies in Asia's fourth-largest economy had a combined 14,418 executives as of end-March this year, up from 13,803 a year earlier, according to the Leaders Index. The figure covers companies out of the country's top 500 corporations by sales that have disclosed their first-q

Flights connecting Gimpo, Haneda to resume on June 1 at earliest

Market watchers sound alarm over stock market, housing bubble bursting

SEJONG -- The Yoon Suk-yeol administration is considering easing the comprehensive real estate tax rate for home owners holding a single unit to a considerable extent, starting this year. According to officials at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the government is moving to scale back their tax burden to the level in 2020. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho was quoted by local media on May 12 saying that, “(taxpayers) have shouldered a three or four-fold burden

Foreign bank branches in South Korea saw their combined net profit down 4.5 percent in 2021 due to a rise in securities-linked losses amid market downswings, data showed Monday. The combined net income of 35 foreign lenders' local branches stood at 1.15 trillion won ($904.4 million) in the fiscal year of 2021, down 53.5 billion won from a year earlier, according to the data from the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). Those branches either closed their books for the fiscal of year 2021 in

Foreign currency deposits at banks in South Korea shrank for the second straight month in April due in part to companies' increased withdrawals to pay for investments and imports, central bank data showed Monday. Residents' outstanding foreign currency-denominated deposits had reached $86.99 billion as of end-April, down $5.72 billion from the previous month, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). Residents include local citizens, companies, foreigners staying here for mor

South Korea's exports rose 24.1 percent in the first 20 days of May from a year earlier on robust demand for chips and petroleum products, but the country suffered a trade deficit on high fuel costs, customs data showed Monday. The country's outbound shipments stood at $38.6 billion in the May 1-20 period, compared with $31.1 billion a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. Imports jumped 37.8 percent on-year to $43.4 billion during the cited period, result

South Korean stocks open higher Monday, buoyed by the anticipation that the outcome of the South Korea-US summit will give a boost to key industrial sectors. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 6.88 points, or 0.26 percent, to trade at 2,646.17 in the first 15 minutes of trading. In a joint statement issued after the summit between Presidents Yoon Suk-yeol and Joe Biden on Saturday, the two countries agreed to enhance cooperation in various sectors, from semiconductors, electric v