By Marc Van de Walle A New Year is always a time to reflect on the previous year, what we might learn from it and then apply these learnings going forward. What better time for reflection than now, as we usher in the Year of the Dragon, considered one of the most auspicious creatures in the Chinese zodiac. The mythical Dragon symbolizes power, wisdom, strength, and good fortune. From an investment perspective, however, there is more you can do than wait to tap on the Dragon’s luck. Last ye

South Korean stocks opened sharply higher Wednesday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 23.92 points, or 0.90 percent, to 2,680.10 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 0.83 percent higher. In Seoul, large caps traded mixed. Market bellwether Samsung Electronics added 1.10 percent, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix remained flat. Top battery maker LG Energy Solution climbed 0.50 percent, wi

The South Korean government and local banks on Tuesday pledged to jointly invest 452 trillion won ($337.4 billion) until 2030 to tackle the climate crisis. The move aligns with the country's intensified efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and bolster domestic firms' competitive edge in overseas markets. "This unprecedented climate crisis we face today demands action not only to enhance our companies' competitiveness but also for the generations to come," said Ki

South Korean stocks slipped more than 1 percent Tuesday as investors remained cautious ahead of the US Federal Open Market Committee's meeting this week. The local currency fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 29.67 points, or 1.1 percent, to 2,656.17. Trade volume was moderate at 683.5 million shares worth 10.5 trillion won ($7.88 billion), with losers outpacing gainers 603 to 276. Foreigners sold a net 238 billion won worth of stocks, while indi

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South Korea's financial regulator unveiled an ambitious plan Tuesday to provide 420 trillion won ($315 billion) in policy loans by 2030 to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Seoul has pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 37 percent from business-as-usual levels. "There exist concerns that the global competitiveness of our exporters may dwindle should we fail to take appropriate steps to meet the increasing emissions-related regulations in other countries," the Fina

South Korean stocks started lower Tuesday as investors awaited the US Federal Open Market Committee's meeting this week. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 27.32 points, or 1.02 percent, to 2,658.52 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the US stock market closed higher, mainly led by tech shares, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 0.2 percent and the Nasdaq Composite advancing 0.82 percent. The FOMC is set to start its two-day rate-setting meeting Tuesd

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South Korean stocks closed slightly higher Monday ahead of a US Fed meeting where investors believe signs of a possible rate cut down the road may emerge. The local currency lost ground against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 19.00 points, or 0.71 percent, to close at 2,685.84. Trade volume was moderate at 401 million shares worth 9.35 trillion won ($7 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 439 to 434. Institutions were the sole buyers, net purchasing 22

South Korea and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development opened a joint conference in Seoul on Monday to discuss ways to help Southeast Asian countries develop and transform their financial systems. The conference will be held for two days and discuss potential problems arising from the digitalization of financial systems in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries and ways to address them, according to South Korea's financial regulator, the Financial Ser

South Korean stocks opened a tad higher Monday, buoyed by gains in technology stocks. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 0.72 point, or 0.03 percent, to 2,667.56 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Large caps traded mixed while techs and chemicals were in positive terrain. Tech giant Samsung Electronics gained 0.55 percent, with No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix advancing 0.56 percent. Leading battery maker LG Energy Solution added 0.75 percent, while its local rival Samsung SDI gained

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South Korean stocks closed nearly 2 percent lower Friday to end a three-session winning streak, as investors locked in profits following hotter than expected US inflation. The local currency fell sharply against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dropped 51.92 points, or 1.91 percent, to 2,666.84. Trade volume was heavy at 575 million shares worth 12.9 trillion won ($9.7 billion), with losers beating winners 557 to 224. Institutional and foreign selling weighed down t

The South Korean economy has been on a recovery track on the solid growth of exports, but disparities among sectors remain wide amid weak consumption and investment, the finance ministry said Friday. "As shown in manufacturing production and exports, the country has seen an economic recovery and a stable job market," the Ministry of Economy and Finance said in the Green Book, its monthly economic assessment report. "But the pace of recovery among sectors has been different as priv

South Korean stocks opened lower Friday, as investors locked in profits after a three-session winning streak. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dropped 27.51 points, or 1.01 percent, to 2,691.25 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, Wall Street lost ground after the February producer price index showed US inflation was hotter than expected. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.4 percent, and the S&P 500 dropped 0.3 percent. The Nasdaq Composite also shed 0.3 percent