South Korean stocks opened higher Monday, backed by strong advances by tech and bio heavyweights amid the resurgent coronavirus outbreaks. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 10.42 points, or 0.41 percent, to 2,563.92 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The KOSPI got off to a mild gain on foreign buying as large caps traded higher amid signs of economic recovery, including an 11.1 percent on-year jump in South Korean export in the first 20 days of November. Bio share

South Korean brokerage houses expect the local stock market to continue its upturn to reach a new zenith in 2021 on expectations for an economic recovery, sources said Monday. Thirteen securities companies have forecast the upper-end target band for the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) to range from 2,630 to 3,000 in the coming year. The expected range surpasses the key stock index's all-time high of 2,568.54 and an intersession record of 2,607.10. Heungkuk Securities Co. h

South Korea's exports rose 11.1 percent on-year in the first 20 days of November, customs data showed Monday, raising cautious hopes of an economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. The country's outbound shipments stood at $31.3 billion in the Nov. 1-20 period, compared with $28.1 billion a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. Per-day exports also increased 7.6 percent on-year in the Nov. 1-20 period, the data showed. Imports gained 1.3 percent on-year

Shares in major units of South Korea's top conglomerate, Samsung Group, have risen at double-digit rates since the death of its chief a month ago on hopes for an economic recovery and more dividends from them, data showed Monday. Share prices of Samsung Electronics and six other major subsidiaries jumped an average 13.8 percent between Oct. 25, when Lee Kun-hee died after being bedridden following a heart attack in 2014, and Friday, according to the data from the Korea Exchange. Shares in Sams

In order to drive the sustainable growth of the fintech industry in the post-coronavirus era, South Korea needs to improve its regulatory frame, the British Chamber of Commerce in Korea has said. The BCCK’s fintech committee, which kicked off in December last year, has released its first white paper to highlight how the current COVID-19 pandemic is accelerating the digital transition across the world, officials said Sunday. Outlining the best practices and policy suggestions on the lates

Controversy escalated Sunday over the proposed business integration plan of South Korea’s two flag carriers -- Korean Air Lines and Asiana Airlines -- as to whether the fundraising plan of Korean Air’s parent company Hanjin KAL to achieve the tie-up is legally viable. State-run lender and creditor Korea Development Bank has addressed concerns over the possibility of an injunction court order that might kill its plan of providing 800 billion won ($716 million) to Hanjin KAL in retur

Under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing trade disputes between nations, South Korea’s trade-reliant companies are going through a difficult time.  Struggling to survive in this hard time, often likened to the “barley hump,” they have made desperate efforts. The “barley hump,” is a Korean way of describing the lean season, known in some countries as the hunger gap, when the fall harvest runs out but barely anything in the fields is ready to eat

Robo-adviser startups in South Korea saw their funds increase by more than 1 trillion won ($896.7 million) in a year, driven by stock trading fever amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, industry data showed Sunday.  According to data from the Korea Financial Investment Association, the amount of funds entrusted to the country’s four major robo-adviser firms -- Fount, Aim, December & Company and Doomoolmori -- stood at 1.29 trillion won in the third quarter, up some 1.03 trillio

In 3 years, 97% surge seen in recipients of unemployment benefits among 20-somethings

South Korea’s sovereign wealth fund Korea Investment Corp. said Sunday that it was now a member of the One Planet Sovereign Wealth Fund, the world’s largest multilateral working group convened by sovereign wealth funds across the globe to promote cooperation on climate change.  Established Dec. 12, 2017, at the “One Planet Summit” -- a global coalition launched by the French government and the UN to work together on climate change -- the fund exists to develop a f

Nearly two-thirds of South Korean manufacturing firms believe that the business environment will not change much under the forthcoming Joe Biden administration in the United States, a poll showed Sunday. According to a survey conducted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), 65.3 percent of local manufacturers answered that they expect no significant changes in the business environment with the new US government. The survey, which asked 300 firms earlier this month, showed that

Environmentally friendly cars, such as electric vehicles (EVs) and hydrogen-powered cars, make up more than 3 percent of the total vehicles registered in South Korea, a report from the country's transport ministry showed Sunday. There were 766,464 green vehicles registered in South Korea as of end-October, accounting for 3.16 percent of the total vehicles here, according to the data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transportation. This is the first time that the share of eco-fri

KB’s shareholders consent to another term for its incumbent chairman and flagship lender’s CEO, but disapprove union-recommended outside directors

Experts recommend investors to keep eyes on growth value, ‘contactless’ biz sectors

South Korean banking groups are set to tighten lending rules for overdraft accounts, lowering borrowing limits amid government efforts to put a brake on the nation’s fast-growing household debt, industry data showed Friday. The five major commercial banks here -- KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Woori, Hana and NH NongHyup -- have started lowering limits for their key overdraft account products designed for “high-income individuals and professionals” from an average 200 million won ($179,