Nearly 40 percent of South Korea's shares listed on the main and secondary markets saw their share prices hit a 52-week low after Japan announced an export curb against Asia's No. 4 economy in July, data showed Sunday.The number of companies whose share prices hit a 52-week low since July until Friday reached 975 from both markets, making up 43.3 percent of the combined listed firms, according to the figure compiled by the bourse operator Korea Exchange (KRX). From the 900 firms listed on the ma

South Korean stocks sank to finish below the psychologically important 2,000-point threshold Friday, by falling 1 percent, in the face of escalating trade tension between its two largest trading partners, and its own with Japan.The Korean won fell sharply against the US dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 19.21 points, or 0.95 percent, to 1,998.13, the lowest in seven months. Trading volume was low at 427 million shares worth 5.21 trillion won ($4.34 billion), with losers

Calls for a boycott of Japan-made goods in South Korea are expected to come to a boil as Tokyo went ahead with its threat to widen controls over exports of materials by removing Seoul from a list of trusted trade partners despite repeated calls to scrap the move. A boycott of Japanese goods has spread across Korea since Tokyo tightened controls on exports of three high-tech materials to Seoul on July 4, in apparent retaliation against Korean court rulings last year over Japan's wartime forced la

The Bank of Korea said Friday that it will remain vigilant against any potential volatility in local financial markets caused by escalating trade tension with Japan. "(The BOK) believes there is a possibility that the volatility in the local financial and foreign exchange markets may rise depending on how Japan's export restrictions are actually implemented," the central bank said in a statement after an emergency meeting to review possible fallout from Japan's expanded export restrict

Seoul stocks opened sharply lower Friday as Japan is set to remove South Korea from its list of trusted trading partners later in the day and a trade row between the United States and China is escalating.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index crashed 23.10 points, or 1.15 percent, to reach 1,994.24 in the first 15 minutes of trading.It marked the first time in seven months that the index was below the 2,000-mark during a trading session. Tokyo, which began implementing tougher restricti

South Korea’s central bank said Thursday that it could consider further cuts in its base rate amid growing economic uncertainties, such as the trade tension with Japan.“If the economic conditions worsen, (a rate cut) will of course have to be considered,” Bank of Korea Gov. Lee Ju-yeol told reporters. When asked about the US Federal Reserve’s decision to cut the key interest rate Wednesday, Lee welcomed the much-anticipated move, but also expressed some disappointment.&ld

South Korea's central bank said Thursday it may consider further slashing its policy rate to help boost economic growth should conditions worsen amid escalating trade tension with Japan.Last month, the Bank of Korea cut the benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 1.50 percent, citing slower-than-anticipated growth."Should external conditions worsen and downside risks expand, (we) may consider taking an additional policy measure," the Bank of Korea said in a report submitted to the parliam

South Korea's consumer prices rose 0.6 percent in July from a year earlier, staying below the 1 percent threshold for the seventh consecutive month, government data showed Thursday.From a month earlier, the consumer price index fell 0.3 percent, according to the data from Statistics Korea. "Consumer price growth below 1 percent due to temporary factors is not tantamount to deflation," Lee Doo-won, director at the agency's price statistics division, said, citing declines in prices of pe

South Korea's exports decreased 11 percent in July from a year earlier, extending their on-year fall to an eighth consecutive month, amid the drawn-out trade dispute between the United States and China, and a decline in prices of semiconductors, data showed Thursday.Outbound shipments came to $46.14 billion for July, down from the $51.8 billion tallied a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.Imports fell 2.7 percent on-year last month to $43.7

Although semiconductor division records five-year low operating margin, tech giant has no plans to cut production

South Korea's industrial output edged down 0.7 percent in June from a month earlier due to decreased production in the service sector, government data showed Wednesday.The data compiled by Statistics Korea showed the production in the service sector declined 1 percent in June from a month earlier, while the output of semiconductors rose 4.6 percent on-month.From a year earlier, industrial output fell 1.1 percent. Retail sales fell 1.6 percent in June from a month earlier due to decreased sales o

SEJONG -- South Korea is one of the few developing countries whose economy expanded sufficiently over the past decades to compete with advanced nations in Europe.Korea achieved the world’s 10th-largest gross domestic product in 2005. It was 28th in 1980, ranked behind Indonesia (21st), Iran (20th) and Saudi Arabia (14th).As exports in sectors such as semiconductors and automobiles greatly contributed to its GDP, there have been predictions that the nation could consistently become one of t

South Korea’s benchmark Kospi is projected to dip below the psychologically important 2,000 mark, if escalating trade tensions with Japan are prolonged, a report released by a local brokerage firm said Tuesday.Amid a lackluster stock market performance, Tokyo is expected to implement the decision to exclude South Korea from its whitelist of trusted export nations on Friday, which would bar Korea from receiving preferential treatment via simplified export procedures. “The local s

Shinhan Financial Group Co., a major financial holding firm in South Korea, said Tuesday it has raised $500 million by selling sustainability bonds. Sustainability bonds are floated to exclusively finance a combination of green and social projects.The US dollar-denominated bonds carry an yield of 3.34 percent, Shinhan Financial said in a statement. Proceeds from the sale will be used to help Shinhan Financial fund for a range of environmental, social and governance projects, the company said. (Y

Samsung C&T has been named the top builder in South Korea for six straight years in terms of building capacity, government data showed Monday. The construction affiliate of Samsung Group took the top slot among the 61,559 local construction firms evaluated, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Those evaluated account for about 89 percent of 68,781 construction firms here.Samsung C&T’s construction capacity was valued at 17.5 trillion won ($14.7 billion),