South Korean stocks closed a tad lower Thursday as investors remained cautious ahead of the release of US consumer price index data that would influence the Fed's rate-setting decision. The local currency fell slightly against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (Kospi) lost 3.56 points, or 0.14 percent, to 2,601.56. Trading volume was moderate at 560.4 million shares worth 11.2 trillion won ($8.5 billion), with winners outpacing losers 486 to 393. Offshore invest

South Korean stocks got off to a weak start Thursday, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 11.42 points, or 0.44 percent, to 2,593.7 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.54 percent and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.2 percent as investors were cautious ahead of the release of the US consumer price index, slated for Thursday. In Seoul, most big-cap shares declined across the board. Market bellweth

South Korean stocks finished more than 1 percent higher Wednesday, snapping the five-day losing streak on hopes that the Federal Reserve's further rate hikes could be over. The Korean won stayed unchanged against the US greenback. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 31.14 points, or 1.21 percent, to 2,605.12, marking the first daily gain since Aug. 2. Trading volume was slim at 460.8 million shares worth 10.2 trillion won ($7.75 billion), with winners beating losers 563 to

South Korea's agricultural ministry said Wednesday it plans to expand the size of the pet industry to 15 trillion won ($11.47 billion) by 2027 amid the growing number of households with dogs or cats. The target marks a sharp rise from just 8 trillion won tallied in 2022, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The number of households with dogs or cats came to 6.02 million last year, rising sharply from just 3.64 million in 2012. "To address the evolving marke

South Korean stocks opened a tad higher Wednesday, led by gains in large-cap shares of techs and chemicals despite losses on Wall Street. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index climbed 16.83 points, or 0.65 percent, to 2,590.81 in the first 15 minutes of trading. On Wall Street, all three major US stock indexes finished lower Tuesday as credit rating agency Moody's downgraded 10 small- and mid-sized US lenders. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.45 percent, and the tech-savvy

South Korean stocks ended lower Tuesday as investors took a wait-and-see approach amid concerns over additional rate hikes by the US Federal Reserve and China's worse-than-expected trade data. The local currency sharply fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dropped 6.73 points, or 0.26 percent, to 2,573.98, extending its losing streak to a fifth day. Trading volume was moderate at 631.5 million shares worth 12.3 trillion won ($9.3 billion), with losers

South Korean stocks opened higher Tuesday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street, as investors remain concerned over the Federal Reserve's additional rate hikes to tame inflation. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index climbed 9.6 points, or 0.37 percent, to 2,590.31 in the first 15 minutes of trading. All three major US stock indexes finished higher Monday, snapping their worst weekly decline since March, on upbeat corporate earnings. Investors are keeping an eye on the Fed'

South Korean stocks ended lower Monday as investors took a wait-and-see approach ahead of upcoming major economic releases, including US consumer price data. The local currency gained ground against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index dropped 22.09 points, or 0.85 percent, to 2,580.71, extending its losing streak to a fourth day. Trading volume was slim at 497.1 million shares worth 11.8 trillion won ($9 billion), with losers outnumbering winners 519 to 360. Institutio

Retail investor frenzy shifts from secondary batteries to superconductor industry

South Korean stocks started a tad lower Monday, led by losses in market heavyweights, such as automakers and chemical companies. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 4.23 points, or 0.16 percent, to 2,598.57 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Large caps led the decrease, with No. 1 carmaker Hyundai Motor declining 1.56 percent and its smaller affiliate Kia falling 2.98 percent. Top oil refinery SK Innovation retreated 1.48 percent, and major chemicals maker LG Chem dropped 0.94

South Korean stocks started a tad higher Friday as investors await the US' July job data, which is expected to give clues for the outlook of the Federal Reserve's monetary tightening policy. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 6.46 points, or 0.25 percent, to 2,611.85 in the first 15 minutes of trading. All three major US indexes finished a tad lower Thursday was investors digested higher Treasury yields and latest corporate earnings ahead of US job data for July set t

Seoul shares ended lower Thursday on heavy sell-off by foreign investors and institutions after the downgrading of the US credit rating. The South Korean won declined against the US dollar. After choppy trading, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index retreated 0.42 percent, or 11.08 points, to 2,605.39. Trading volume was at 773.9 million shares worth 14.6 trillion won ($11.2 billion), with decliners outnumbering gainers 523 to 345. All three US major stock indexes finished lower Wednes

South Korean stocks turned lower after starting a tad higher Thursday on tech losses after the downgrading of the US credit rating. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 10.85 points, or 0.41 percent, to 2,605.62 in the first 15 minutes of trading. All three US major stock indexes finished lower Wednesday as investors took profits on monthslong gains after Fitch Ratings downgraded the US credit grade to AA+ from AAA for the first time since 2011, citing "repeated debt limit s

Seoul shares ended sharply lower Wednesday, breaking their four-day winning streak, as the downgrade of the US credit rating stoked investors' concerns. The South Korean won declined against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index retreated 1.9 percent, or 50.6 points, to 2,616.47. Trading volume was heavy at 694.5 million shares worth 15.7 trillion won ($12.1 billion), with decliners outnumbering gainers 652 to 230. The tech-heavy Kosdaq dropped more than 3 percent.

South Korean stocks got off to a weak start Wednesday, tracking overnight Wall Street losses, as most big-cap shares fell across the board. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 12.05 points, or 0.45 percent, to 2,655.02 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Wall Street finished mixed Tuesday as investors took a breather from a monthslong rally ahead of earnings reports from major companies, including Apple Inc. and Amazon.com Inc., and US jobs data. The Dow Jones Industrial Average