Once skeptical of Seoul as startup incubator, Singaporean VC Antler now operates W30b funding for over 100 local startups

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South Korean stocks retreated Friday as the US Federal Reserve chief signaled interest rates would be aggressively raised. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) fell 23.5 points, or 0.86 percent, to close at 2,704.71 points. The key stock index gained 0.32 percent from a week ago. Daily trading volume was moderate at about 1.21 billion shares worth some 11.9 trillion won ($9.6 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 550 to 313. Inst

South Korean stocks opened steeply lower Friday as the US Federal Reserve chief signaled interest rates would be aggressively raised. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) retreated 29.17 points, or 1.07 percent, to trade at 2,699.04 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Stocks got off to a lackluster start, tracking overnight Wall Street losses. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite shed more than 2 percent, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped some 1 percent. Fed Chair Jerome

South Korean shares closed higher on Thursday as institutional investors picked up large-cap chipmakers. The Korean won weakened against the US dollar. After a choppy session, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) went up 9.52 points, or 0.35 percent, to 2,728.21 points. Around 988 million shares worth some 9.87 trillion won ($8 billion) changed hands, with gainers slightly outnumbering losers 443 to 400. Institutions scooped up a net 637.2 billion won worth of stocks, while fo

South Korean tech behemoth Samsung Electronics saw its presence on the main bourse drop to the lowest in 34 months in terms of market capitalization, data showed Thursday, with analysts pointing to volatilities caused by the global supply bottleneck and foreigners’ selling spree. Samsung’s value stood at some 402.9 trillion won ($325.7 billion) as of April 14, accounting for 18.91 percent of the Kospi’s total market value of 2,131 trillion won, according to data provided by t

Local drug developer GI Innovation has submitted a preliminary application for listing on the country’s secondary tech-heavy bourse Kosdaq with its eyes set on going public in the second half of the year, the company said Thursday. GI Innovation’s initial public offering will be carried out under Kosdaq’s special listing track, known as the “unicorn special listing.” The Korea Exchange established the unicorn special listing process in April last year to simplify

South Korean shares opened higher Thursday as investors picked up large-cap shares amid woes over high-flying inflation. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) rose 12.78 points, or 0.47 percent, to 2,731.47 as of 9:15 a.m. Overnight, the US stock markets ended mixed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.71 percent, while the S&P500 fell 0.06 percent and the Nasdaq was down 1.22 percent. On the Seoul bourse, shares mostly traded higher. Market bellwether Samsung Electro

South Korean shares closed nearly flat Wednesday as investors took a wait-and-see approach over the global economic slowdown and the US central bank's monetary tightening. The Korean won went up against the US dollar. After a choppy session, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) inched down 0.2 point, or 0.01 percent, to 2,718.69 points. Around 1.7 billion shares worth some 12.1 trillion won ($9.8 billion) changed hands, with gainers outnumbering losers 513 to 317. Foreigners s

South Korean stocks opened lower Wednesday, despite overnight gains on Wall Street, as large-cap tech shares lost ground on profit-taking. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 8.88 points, or 0.33 percent, to reach 2,710.01 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, US stocks rose ahead of the corporate earnings season. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 1.45 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index soared 2.15 percent. In Seoul, big-cap tech and bio sh

LX International Corp., the trading arm of South Korea's LX Group, said Tuesday it has bought a major stake in a local biomass power plant operator as it pushes to expand its renewable energy business. LX International will take over a 63.3 percent stake in Poseung Green Power Co., in Pyeongtaek, south of Seoul, from DL Energy Co. for 95 billion won ($76.7 million), a deal that was approved by its board earlier in the day, the company said in a release. A biomass power plant produces st

South Korean stocks opened higher Tuesday despite overnight losses on Wall Street as foreigners and individuals picked up large-cap shares. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 25.21 points, or 0.94 percent, to reach 2,718.42 in the first 15 minutes of trading. On Monday (local time), US stocks fell in volatile trading amid the possibility of monetary policy tightening by the US Federal Reserve. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.11 percent, the S&P 500 lost 0.0

South Korean shares opened lower Monday amid concerns that the Fed may raise rates at a faster and stronger-than-expected pace. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) went down 3.87 points, or 0.14 percent, to 2,692.19 as of 9:15 a.m. Expectations are high that the Fed may raise interest rates aggressively in the coming months. The US markets were closed on Friday. On the Seoul bourse, shares traded mostly lower. Market bellwether Samsung Electronics inched down 0.15 percent and

South Korean shares opened lower Friday, tracking overnight Wall Street losses amid concerns that the Fed may raise rates at a faster and stronger than expected pace. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) shed 25.4 points, or 0.93 percent, to 2,691.31 as of 9:15 a.m. Overnight, the US stock markets ended down as investors faced renewed risks of the Fed's monetary tightening to curb the highest inflation in four decades. The 10-year Treasury yields rose to 2.8 percent, the highe

South Korean stocks closed largely unchanged Thursday as high-flying inflation is balanced against eased concerns over faster-than-expected rate hikes. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 0.22 point, or 0.01 percent, to close at 2,716.71. Trading volume was moderate at around 650.95 million shares worth some 11.25 trillion won ($9.18 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 540 to 307. Foreigners offloaded a combined net total