South Korean stocks opened lower Tuesday as investors sought profit after a sharp rise the previous session, with tech and auto shares leading the losses. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 8.26 points, or 0.31 percent, to 2,666.01 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the US stock market closed lower, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 0.25 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite losing 0.41 percent. In Seoul, tech shares opened mostly bearish, with Sam

South Korean stocks closed higher Monday as foreigners extended their buying streak to seven consecutive sessions, with technology and financial shares leading the overall rise. The local currency gained against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 31.91 points, or 1.21 percent, to 2,674.27. Trade volume was moderate at 383 million shares worth 12.2 trillion won ($9.22 billion), with losers slightly outpacing gainers 442 to 436. Foreigners were net buyers, scooping

South Korean stocks started higher Monday following a three-day break including the weekend on the back of robust gains from tech and automobile shares. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 30.66 points, or 1.16 percent, to 2,673.02 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Tech shares led the overall gains, with Samsung Electronics rising 1.36 percent and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix climbing 4.03 percent. Leading carmaker Hyundai Motors added 1.2 percent, and its smaller rival Kia Motor

As global investors scrutinize South Korea’s plan to boost corporate valuations, they note a key hurdle — the prevalence of family-controlled businesses, or chaebols, which are often blamed for keeping stocks undervalued. From Samsung Electronics to Hyundai Motor, Korean conglomerates are run by members of the founding families who can wield outsized power through complex cross-shareholdings. The controversial structure and a tendency to sideline minority shareholders are among reaso

South Korean stocks closed lower Thursday as investors sat on the sidelines ahead of the release of some key US inflation data and the holiday this week. The local currency gained against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index shed 9.93 points, or 0.37 percent, to 2,642.36. Trade volume was moderate at 484 million shares worth 12.5 trillion won (US$9.44 billion), with losers outpacing gainers 545 to 341. Institutions were net sellers by offloading 507.3 billion won, while

The price of bitcoin traded in Korea climbed to its highest ever Thursday, fueled by a global rally initiated from spot exchange-traded funds and an impending halving. Bitcoin, the world’s biggest cryptocurrency, traded in Korea at up to 90 million won ($67,490) on the country’s largest crypto exchange, Upbit, at 3:47 p.m. On the previous day, it broke its previous high of 82.7 million won at around 6 p.m. for the first time since November 2021. After peaking at 90 million won, bitco

South Korean stocks started lower Thursday tracking overnight losses from Wall Street, as the US' fourth-quarter economic growth was slower than earlier estimated. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 20.49 points, or 0.77 percent, to 2,631.8 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the US stock market closed weaker, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 0.06 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite losing 0.55 percent. The US economy expanded 3.2 percent in

South Korean stocks ended higher Wednesday as investors closely awaited key data from the United States later this week. The local currency fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 27.24 points, or 1.04 percent, to 2,652.29. Trade volume was moderate at 409.7 million shares worth 10 trillion won ($7.4 billion), with gainers outpacing losers 559 to 302. Individuals were net sellers by offloading 539.2 billion won, while foreigners scooped up a net 458 bill

South Korean stocks started nearly flat Wednesday as investors took a wait-and-see approach ahead of key economic indicators set to be released in the United States this week. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index edged up 0.78 points, or 0.03 percent, to 2,625.83 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the US stock market closed mixed, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 0.25 percent while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite added 0.37 percent. The US is set to announce t

South Korean stocks ended more than 0.8 percent lower Tuesday as investors were in cautious mode ahead of the release of major US economic data later this week. The local currency gained ground against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index retreated 22.03 points, or 0.83 percent, to 2,625.05. Trade volume was slightly heavy at 567.4 million shares worth 12.4 trillion won ($9.3 billion), with decliners sharply beating gainers 745 to 149. Institutions led the decline by un

South Korean stocks started lower Tuesday as investors took a cautious mode ahead of major US economic data releases later this week, including the Federal Reserve's preferred measure of inflation. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dropped 4.77 points, or 0.18 percent, to 2,642.31 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the US stock market closed lower on profit-taking following a rally last week. Investors were also taking a wait-and-see mode ahead of the release of th

South Korean stocks closed lower Monday as investors dumped local shares on the government's weaker-than-expected plans to boost corporate value. The Korean won edged down against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 20.62 points, or 0.77 percent, to close at 2,647.08, ending a two-day winning streak. Trade volume was heavy at 519.6 million shares worth 10.8 trillion won ($8.1 billion), with decliners sharply beating gainers 657 to 231. Institutions and individuals

South Korean stocks started lower Monday as investors sought profits after a recent rally. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index retreated 15.89 points, or 0.6 percent, to 2,651.81 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The main index rose for two straight sessions at the end of last week on the back of Nvidia-led gains in semiconductor shares. Market heavyweights led the negative opening. Top-cap Samsung Electronics fell 0.27 percent, and leading oil refinery SK Innovation slid 1.62 perc

South Korean stocks finished slightly higher Friday as foreign investors bet on local tech shares following AI chip giant Nvidia's strong earnings results. The Korean won lost against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 3.43 points, or 0.13 percent, to close at 2,667.7, extending its winning streak to two straight sessions. Trade volume was moderate at 409.4 million shares worth 10.1 trillion won ($7.59 billion), with decliners beating gainers 514 to 341. F

South Korean stocks got off to a strong start Friday following an overnight rally on Wall Street. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 20.45 points, or 0.77 percent, to 2,684.72 in the first 15 minutes of trading. In the United States, Nvidia's surprising earnings result pushed up the indexes to new highs, as the S&P 500 jumped 2.11 percent and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.18 percent. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite also vaulted 2.96 percent. In Seoul, semic