South Korean stocks closed higher Monday, extending a winning streak to a seventh consecutive session despite losses in Samsung Electronics and other Samsung affiliates' shares. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 2.42 points, or 0.11 percent, to close at 2,184.29. Trading volume was moderate at about 842.9 million shares worth some 12.9 trillion won ($10.7 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 444 to 393. Institutions s

As part of its move to nurture the data-based financial industry and financial technology businesses, Korea’s financial authorities will open up 44.5 million pieces of public financial data to the public for free, starting Wednesday, regulator Financial Services Commission said Monday. The range of public financial data consists of large sets of information stored at the FSC and eight other public financial institutions in Korea -- the Financial Supervisory Service, the Korea Developmen

Housing prices in South Korea are expected to rise in the latter half of this year due to growing demand buoyed by lower interest rates, the Eugene Investment and Securities said in its quarterly report Monday.  “Cash flow into the housing sector will continue to rise amid the prolonged period of low interest rates here, with a rise in demand triggering higher apartment prices,” said Kim Yeol-mae, an analyst at the brokerage. Meanwhile, the average apartment price in Seoul du

Foreign investors became net sellers of South Korean stocks in May, extending their selling spree to a fourth straight month, data showed Monday. Foreigners sold a net 4.06 trillion won ($3.3 billion) worth of local stocks last month, according to the data from the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). American investors sold a net 1.8 trillion won of stocks last month, while Saudi investors net purchased 600 billion won worth of stocks, according to the FSS. As of end-May, local stocks held

South Korean shares opened higher Friday, tracking gains on Wall Street that followed an estimate-beating jobs report in the United States. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 17.62 points, or 0.81 percent, to 2,199.49 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The gains were largely attributed to a drop in the US unemployment rate in May, possibly suggesting an economic recovery. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 829.16 points, or 3.15 percent, to close at 27,110,98

Amid the lingering virus pandemic, South Korea’s online banks are expanding their foothold faster than expected, and are gearing up for IPOs and partnerships with financial behemoths.

South Korea’s biggest real estate asset management firm IGIS Asset Management said Friday that it is eyeing its first real estate investment trust to list on the nation’s main bourse Kospi in mid-July. IGIS Value Plus REIT is designed to indirectly invest in the commercial Taepyeongno Building. Located in central Seoul next to the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the 23-story office building was valued at 302.5 billion won ($250.6 million) as of July 1 last year, IGIS Asset

South Korean shares closed sharply higher Friday, extending their winning streak to a sixth session on global stimulus hopes. The local currency rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) surged 30.69 points, or 1.43 percent, to close at 2,181.87, reaching the highest point since Feb. 20. Trading volume was moderate at about 840.1 million shares worth some 12.6 trillion won ($10.4 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 586 to 249. Institutions boug

The balance of credit loans taken out for stock investments by individuals has reached over 11 trillion won ($9.1 billion), data showed Friday. According to data from the Korea Financial Investment Association, the balance for credit financing marked nearly 11.47 trillion won as of Wednesday, the highest figure since Oct. 11, 2018, when it marked 11.57 trillion won. As stock markets around the globe were hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, the balance dipped to 6.41 trillion won on March 25

South Korean shares opened higher Friday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street helped by hopes of an economic recovery. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 6.64 points, or 0.31 percent, to 2,157.82 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The gain was mainly attributed to hopes for an economic recovery, fueled by the European Central Bank's announcement to additionally purchase assets to fight the economic fallout from the new coronavirus. The Dow Jones Industrial Ave

JPMorgan will provide 480 million won ($394,000) worth of immediate support, relief and inclusive recovery fund to small and micro-businesses hit hard by the unexpected coronavirus pandemic in South Korea, according to the local micro-credit institution Social Solidarity Bank on Thursday. As part of the relief efforts, the local unit of the US-based brokerage firm will collaborate with the nongovernmental organization to help SMEs run by female owners digitalize their operations and make online

South Korean shares extended their winning streak to a fifth consecutive session Thursday, reaching the highest in over 100 days on economic recovery hopes. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 4.18 points, or 0.19 percent, to close at 2,151.18, the highest since Feb. 21. Trading volume was high at about 1.4 billion shares worth 15.8 trillion won ($13 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 441 to 391. The index got off to

South Korean stocks opened higher Thursday on hopes of an economic recovery, led by chipmakers. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 32.02 points, or 1.49 percent, to 2,179.02 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The gain is largely attributed to rising hope for an economic rebound. The country's largest-ever extra budget proposal to fight the fallout of the new coronavirus also fueled the optimism. Large caps mostly traded higher with chipmakers, financials and shipb

South Korea’s main bourse Kospi on Wednesday rose 2.87 percent to 2,147 points, the highest in more than three months, with foreign and institutional investors scooping up local shares anticipating an economic recovery. It was the first time that the index moved above the 2,100-point mark since Feb. 25, when it closed at 2,105.49. Kospi also saw a 47 percent increase since it hit rock bottom at 1,430 during a trading day in March under market pressure over COVID-19. A record high of 16.8

South Korean shares extended their winning streak to a fourth consecutive session on Wednesday, hitting a more than three-month high amid economic recovery hopes. The Korean won sharply rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) jumped 59.81 points, or 2.87 percent, to close at 2,147.00, the highest since Feb. 25. Trading volume was high at about 1.1 billion shares worth a record high of 16.8 trillion won ($13.8 billion), with gainers outnumbering loser