South Korean stock markets are expected to continue to face volatile sessions next week, largely on persistent uncertainties in Ukraine and the US Federal Reserve's stance on its monetary policy, analysts said Saturday. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index closed at 2,744.52 points Friday, up 0.14 percent from a week ago. The key stock index snapped its four-day winning streak Friday, as investors were spooked by a fire at a Ukraine nuclear plant and the U.S. Federal Reserve chairma

South Korean stocks opened lower Friday tracking overnight plunges on Wall Street that stemmed from rising tensions in Ukraine. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) retreated 19.79 points, or 0.72 percent, to 2,727.29 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite lost 1.56 percent and the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.29 percent, largely on concerns that the war in Ukraine may push up the commodity prices and peg the global eco

South Korea's foreign reserves expanded for the first time in four months in February thanks to a rise in dollar-converted value of holdings and other investment profits, central bank data showed Friday. The country's foreign reserves stood at $461.8 billion as of end-February, up $240 million from the previous month, according to the data provided by the Bank of Korea (BOK). This marked the first on-month growth following three previous months of declines in foreign reserves. The February rise

South Korean stocks extended their winning streak to a fourth straight session Thursday, as US Federal Reserve chairman signaled a rate hike within market expectations amid soaring global commodity prices. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) added 43.56 points, or 1.61 percent, to close at 2,747.08 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 607 million shares worth some 10.5 trillion won ($8.7 billion), with gainers outnumbering lo

South Korean stocks opened steeply higher Thursday, as US Federal Reserve chairman signaled a rate hike within market expectations amid soaring global commodity prices. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) rose 25.41 points, or 0.94 percent, to trade at 2,728.93 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Stocks rose after the overnight Wall Street stock rallies, after Fed Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday said rates would likely be hiked by only 25 basis points this month, although he

South Korean stocks advanced for a third consecutive session Wednesday amid continued military tensions in Ukraine and hopes a full-scale war may be avoided. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) edged up 4.34 points, or 0.16 percent, to close at 2,703.52 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 519 million shares worth some 10.8 trillion won ($8.9 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 645 to 228. Foreigners offloaded a net

South Koreans' use of internet banking services soared 18 percent on-year in 2021 as customers preferred non-contact services amid the coronavirus pandemic, central bank data showed Monday. The daily use of online banking services, including mobile banking, reached 17.32 million cases last year, up from 14.68 million a year earlier, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). Mobile banking use came to 14.36 million instances per day, up 22.9 percent from a year earlier and accounting fo

South Korean institutions' investment in foreign securities touched a new all-time high in 2021 amid bullish overseas stock markets, central bank data showed Wednesday. The outstanding value of foreign securities held by local institutional investors stood at $402.72 billion as of end-December last year, up $29.97 billion, or 8 percent, from a year earlier, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). The on-year increase, however, slowed from the $42.09 billion gain reported for the prev

South Korean public institutions plan to increase their investment this year to a record high of 67 trillion won ($55.6 billion) in an effort to support the economic recovery, a senior government official said Wednesday. The amount will be higher than the 64.7 trillion-won investment made last year, according to Second Vice Finance Minister Ahn Do-geol. He said they plan to invest more than 35.5 trillion won, or 53 percent of the total amount, in the first half. The government said public firms'

South Korean stocks opened lower Wednesday amid continued Ukraine tensions. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) retreated 4.98 points, or 0.18 percent, to 2,694.2 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. The key stock index traded bearish as investors remained cautious amid the Ukraine tensions. Overnight, the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite lost 1.59 percent and the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 1.76 percent, largely on concerns that the war in Ukraine may push up the

Two-thirds of South Korea's listed firms have sharply increased their 2021 dividends in an apparent bid to appease shareholders amid a bearish stock market, a corporate tracker said Wednesday. About 67 percent of 853 companies, which have announced their 2021 dividends as of Monday, have decided to raise their payouts from a year earlier, according to CEO Score. The ratio is up 20.4 percent points from 46.2 percent recorded in the 2020 fiscal year. The increase comes as the local bourse has been

South Korea’s crypto assets market has grown to 55.2 trillion won ($45.9 billion) as of end-2021, with the number of users amounting to nearly 5.58 million, according to a recent study by the nation’s top financial regulator on Tuesday. The Financial Service Commission conducted the study, a first of its kind, based on data compiled from a total of 24 licensed crypto currency exchange operators here. Daily transactions through the 24 exchanges reached 11.3 trillion won on average,

South Korean stocks closed higher Monday after choppy trading, backed by reports that Ukraine and Russia have agreed to talks. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 22.42 points, or 0.84 percent, to close at 2,699.18 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 604 million shares worth some 12.7 trillion won ($10.5 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 631 to 240. Foreigners bought a net 89 billion won and retail investors p

South Korean stocks opened lower Monday, as investors remained cautious amid the Ukraine tensions. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) retreated 9.61 points, or 0.36 percent, to 2,667.15 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. Stocks dropped as investors digest a new set of sanctions by the United States and Western nations on Russia over the Kremlin's attack on Ukraine. Most stocks retreated in Seoul, led by foreign and institutional sell-offs. Market bellwether Samsung E

South Korea’s financial regulators have begun drafting contingency arrangements, such as ramping up market monitoring and readying market stabilization funds, to grapple with the impact of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, which has led the local stock market to shed 162 trillion won ($134 billion) over the last two months. “At alert level 2, we’re keeping an eye on the stock market and prepared to deploy our resources, should it need our intervention,” a source with knowledge