South Korea’s KB Kookmin Bank opened a branch in Singapore, which will work as its gateway into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and global markets, the firm said Thursday. The launch of the branch came eight months after KB Kookmin was granted a license to operate a wholesale bank from the Monetary Authority of Singapore, according to the firm. The new branch’s key focuses are retail, corporate and investment banking and will partially deal with brokerage services. Wi

South Korean stocks opened slightly higher Thursday as investors sought to buy oversold stocks after the recent stock plunge. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) rose 4.19 points, or 0.15 percent, to 2,846.47 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Stocks edged up after a choppy start, following the key stock index's four-day losing streak. Steel and chemical heavyweights led the gain. Steelmaker Posco added 2.64 percent, battery maker LG Chem advanced 1.23 percent, and SK In

South Korean stocks extended their losing streak to a fifth consecutive session Wednesday as rising US yields and rate hike forecast weighed on investor sentiment. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. After a choppy session, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) declined 21.96 points, or 0.77 percent, to close at 2,842.28 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 457 million shares worth some 9.6 trillion won ($8.1 billion), with losers far outnumbering gainers 653

Over 114 trillion won ($95.5 billion) in cash deposits from about 4.4 million retail investors flowed into a mega initial public offering by LG Energy Solution during a two-day subscription that ended Wednesday, reflecting explosive interest in the company’s market debut. The world’s second-largest battery maker has already attracted the highest amount of deposits from a total of 1,988 domestic and foreign institutional investors, which pledged some 15,000 trillion won in total to b

SEJONG -- Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki raised the possibility that the housing market could be swayed by pledges of presidential candidates, and suggested he would try to block any speculative actions in particular regions via close monitoring. During a meeting of ministers in charge of real estate policies on Wednesday, Hong said there are symptoms that “home prices in some regions have been affected by pledges over large-scale development during the presidentia

South Korean stocks opened lower Wednesday, tracking an overnight plunge on Wall Street amid heightened expectations of a rate hike by the Federal Reserve. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) declined 19.22 points, or 0.67 percent, to 2,845.02 points in the first 15 minutes of trading.  On Tuesday (local time), the Dow Jones industrial average fell 1.51 percent, the S&P 500 went down 1.84 percent and the Nasdaq, which is heavily weighted with technology stocks, de

The Korea Exchange on Tuesday announced its decision to delist biotech company SillaJen, 20 months after the biotech company’s market transactions were stopped due to breach of trust and embezzlement charges. The stock market operator will hold a Kosdaq market committee within the next 20 business days to finalize whether it will push ahead with the delisting decision or give SillaJen a second chance at revival. Although the company can raise an objection to the market committee if it o

South Korean stocks opened a tad lower Tuesday, weighed down by persistent inflation woes at home and in the United States. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) edged up 1.08 points, or 0.04 percent, to 2,973.56 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. Stocks came off to a lackluster start after the key stock index retreated for the previous three straight sessions amid jitters over the US Federal Reserve's faster-than-anticipated tapering and rate hikes to tame inflation.

South Korean stocks dropped to their lowest in almost seven weeks on Monday as investors dumped holdings on concerns about mounting inflationary pressure. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) slid 31.82 points, or 1.09 percent, to close at 2,890.1 points. The reading marked the lowest closing since Nov. 30. Trading volume was moderate at about 571 million shares worth some 9.8 trillion won ($8.2 billion), with losers outnumbering g

LG Energy Solution is offering retail investors the opportunity to submit bids for its shares ahead of what could potentially be South Korea’s biggest-ever initial public offering next week, having already attracted vastly oversubscribed institutional bids to the tune of some 15,000 trillion won ($12.6 trillion). The world’s second-largest battery maker for electric vehicles is offering a little over 10 million shares -- nearly a quarter of the 42.5 million shares in total -- to ret

South Korean stocks opened lower Monday, weighed by losses of auto and financial heavyweights. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) declined 13.39 points, or 0.46 percent, to 2,908.53 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. The key stock index got off to a weak start, following a two-day losing streak amid concerns about the rising inflationary pressure at home and in the United States. In Seoul, leading carmaker Hyundai Motor lost 1.67 percent, with its smaller affili

Competition heats up to snatch more shares under Korea’s unique subscription system

LG Energy Solution said Friday that heated institutional demand has set its initial public offering price at the top end of its target range at 300,000 won ($252.80). In a regulatory filing, the firm said as many as 1,988 institutions have subscribed to its offering of 41.5 million initial issues. The shares were oversubscribed by more than 2,023 times, with all of the investors proposing to buy at the highest price range. “LG Energy Solution attracted 15.2 quadrillion won in demand

South Korean stocks extended their losing streak to a second session Friday amid concerns about fast rate hikes at home and in the United States. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) declined 40.17 points, or 1.36 percent, to close at 2,921.92 points. Trading volume was moderate at about 523 million shares worth some 10.6 trillion won ($8.9 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 663 to 209. Institutions sold a net 600 billion w

South Korean stocks opened steeply lower Friday, tracking an overnight stock plunge on Wall Street as US Federal Reserve officials signaled aggressive policies to rein in the rising inflation pressure. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) declined 26.43 points, or 0.89 percent, to 2,935.66 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. The retreat was led by losses in tech stocks, usually more sensitive to rate hikes compared with other sectors. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite