South Korean stocks traded lower late Tuesday morning as institutions offloaded large-cap stocks in an apparent move to lock in profits, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 6.44 points, or 0.27 percent, to 2,392.31 as of 11:20 a.m.The Seoul index had opened higher on Wall Street gains. On Monday (local time), US stocks closed higher, with the Dow edging up 0.12 percent to its ninth-record closing high in a row and the S&P 500 adding 0.16 percent on consumer and

South Korean stocks opened higher Tuesday following overnight Wall Street gains, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 8.63 points, or 0.36 percent, to 2,407.38 in the first 15 minutes of trading.On Monday (local time), US stocks closed higher, with the Dow edging up 0.12 percent to its ninth-record closing high in a row and the S&P 500 adding 0.16 percent on consumer and technology sector gains.Most large caps on the Seoul bourse traded mixed, with tech and med

Nearly 80 percent of the entire volume of currency in circulation, or more than 80 trillion won ($70.9 billion), was in the form of South Korea’s largest-denominated 50,000 won banknote in the first half of 2017, data showed Monday. According to the Bank of Korea, around 80.4 trillion won was circulated in 50,000 won notes as of June, up 6.1 percent compared to the end of 2016. This accounted for 79.2 percent of the entire volume of money in the domestic market. About one-fifth of 50,000 w

South Korean stocks closed slightly higher Monday as foreign buyers sought bargain hunting on signs of recovery in the global economy, offsetting a massive selling spree by institutional investors. The Korean won fell against the US dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index inched up 3.3 points, or 0.14 percent, to close at 2,398.75. Trade volume was low at 240 million shares worth 4.3 trillion won ($3.8 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 458 to 338.Foreign investors reverse

South Korean stocks opened higher Monday following gains late last week on Wall Street that were buoyed by sound employment data, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 7.8 points, or 0.33 percent, to 2,403.25 in the first 15 minutes of trading.On Friday (local time), US stocks closed higher, with the Dow adding 0.30 percent and the S&P 500 gaining 0.19 percent after a strong US July payrolls report.Most large caps on the Seoul bourse were mixed, with tech and ch

Stock analysts in South Korea played down the possible impact of the government’s decision Wednesday to impose taxes on foreign investors holding over 5 percent of a company, but warned of widening volatility prompted by foreign investors’ sell-offs over the past couple of weeks.Starting January 2018, a broader scope of offshore investors are subject to taxation, since the proposal by the government aims to widen the definition of “major shareholders,” referring to those

This is the 39th in a series of articles analyzing major companies traded on the tech-heavy Kosdaq market. -- EdSouth Korea is witnessing a revival in eco-friendly policy on the back of President Moon Jae-in’s promise of a “paradigm shift to a safer Republic of Korea” in terms of its energy supply.Moon‘s move to increase the role of new and renewable energy sources is bringing attention back to Unison, the leading provider of land-based wind farms in South Korea. Ove

South Korean stocks closed higher Friday, pulling away from the previous session's near one-week low, as institutional buyers scooped up steel and chemical shares. The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 8.65 points, or 0.36 percent, to close at 2,395.45. Trade volume was modest at 270.62 million shares worth 4.9 trillion won ($4.5 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 468 to 335.Analysts said Seoul stocks built up as chemical and

　Following the announcement of a proposed biannual tax revision bill earlier this week, a market report suggested Friday that the tax hike would have a minimal impact on the current state of the stock market. 　The government announced Wednesday that it is proposing a 5 percent increased capital gain tax on Kospi investors starting April 2021. Major shareholders will face a 25 percent tax for shares selling at a gain of more than 300 million won ($267,090) a year, compared to the current rate of

The government plans to increase policy loans to further help low-income people buy homes, despite recent measures aimed at cooling down the real estate market, officials said Friday. The plan is designed to step up support for low-income earners who seek to buy a home they will live in, although the government unveiled new guidelines to tighten lending rules and raise the capital gains tax, to quell property speculation.  Under the plan, the ceiling of policy loans for mortgages for low-in

South Korean stocks opened higher Friday despite losses on Wall Street as foreigners scooped up large-cap shares. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 6.48 points, or 0.27 percent, to 2,393.33 in the first 15 minutes of trading.On Thursday (local time), the S&P shed 0.24 percent and the Nasdaq Composite Index also lost 0.4 percent due to losses for energy and technology companies Most large caps on the Seoul bourse opened higher, with tech shares leading the gain. Market bell

South Korea's bourse has seen both big-cap and small-cap companies rise considerably this year, pointing to a marked polarization in terms of market capitalization, data showed Friday.Companies with a market value of 1 trillion won ($890 million) or more numbered 200 as of Thursday, up 17 from a year earlier, according to the data by the bourse operator Korea Exchange. Of the total, top-cap Samsung Electronics Co. and 34 other companies saw their market capitalization hover above the 10 trillion

More than 1.5 million bank accounts were created through Kakao Bank in its first week of operation, while the bank Thursday unveiled plans to address questions about its financial liquidity. As of 7 a.m. Thursday, the second branchless bank in South Korea had nearly 1.52 million accounts created, while drawing 653 billion won ($579.2 million) in deposits and savings and extending 497 billion won in loans, according to the bank. It began service at 7 a.m. on July 27. This is far-reaching compared

South Korean stocks fell nearly 2 percent Thursday to snap a three-day winning streak as foreign investors sold off large-cap shares amid heightened geopolitical uncertainties at both home and abroad, analysts said. The Korean won lost ground against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index retreated 40.78 points, or 1.68 percent, to close at 2,368.85.Trade volume was modest at 299.95 million shares worth 6.2 trillion won ($5.9 billion), with losers far outnumbering gainers

South Korean stocks opened lower early Thursdays due to losses by large-cap technology shares.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 20.74 points, or 0.85 percent, to 2,398.32 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Tech shares mostly lost ground, with market kingpin Samsung Electronics moving down 1.92 percent and the country's No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix shedding 2.5 percent. LG Display also surrendered 2.19 percent. Auto shares also moved in negative terrain, with industry leader Hyund