South Korean stocks got off to a weak start Monday, tracking the decline in US major indexes late last week, on renewed worries over the increasing likelihood of another sharp rate hike by the US Federal Reserve. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 9.38 points, or 0.38 percent, to 2,481.42 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq ended lower on Friday (US time), after the latest US nonfarm payroll data showed employment expansion in July that was far larger than

Retail investors turned net sellers of South Korean stocks in recent weeks despite foreigners’ buying spree, data showed Sunday, putting the nation’s key stock index in a bear market rally. Overseas investors scooped up a net 4 trillion won ($3.08 billion) on the Kospi market from July 14 to Friday, data from the nation’s sole bourse operator Korea Exchange showed, driving the benchmark index’s slight rebound. The Kospi inched up 1.60 percent to 2,490.80 on Friday compa

Seoul shares closed higher for the third consecutive day Friday on continued foreign buying. The South Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) advanced 17.69 points, or 0.72 percent, to close at 2,490.80. The figure is up 1.6 percent from a week ago. Trading volume was moderate at 400.63 million shares worth 7.4 trillion won ($5.7 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 595 to 241. Foreigners and institutions bought a combined net 418.5

Seoul shares ended on foreign buying on Wednesday. The South Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 11.66 points, or 0.47 percent, to close at 2,473.11 points. Trading volume was moderate at 393.27 million shares worth 7.4 trillion won ($5.6 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 466 to 382. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.3 percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite climbed 2.6 percent on robust economic data showing the

Seoul shares opened higher Thursday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street, as jitters over US-China tension, caused by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan visit, eased somewhat. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 8.91 points, or 0.36 percent, to trade at 2,470.36 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.29 percent, and the Nasdaq Composite climbed 2.59 percent on firm economic data showing the world's largest eco

Seoul shares ended higher on gains in automakers and battery makers on Wednesday, with investors eyeing the fallout from US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Taiwan amid global recession worries. The South Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 21.83 points, or 0.89 percent, to close at 2,461.45 points. Trading volume was moderate at 463.71 million shares worth 6.6 trillion won ($5.03 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers

Seoul shares opened higher Wednesday, bucking overnight losses on Wall Street, with investors staying wary of any ripple effect of US House speaker's trip to Taiwan on the financial markets. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 0.48 point, or 0.02 percent, to trade at 2,440.10 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. Escalating tension between China and the United States over US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan on Tuesday could further weigh on inv

Seoul shares ended lower Tuesday, snapping a six-day winning streak, as investors remain watchful on escalating US-China tension over Taiwan amid global recession worries. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 12.63 points, or 0.52 percent, to close at 2,451.5 points. Trading volume was moderate at 539.85 million shares worth 7.2 trillion won ($5.5 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 615 to 240. To get a cue, investors are keeping

Seoul shares opened lower Tuesday, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street, with investors keeping a watchful eye on escalating US-China tension over Taiwan amid global recession woes. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 5.10 points, or 0.21 percent, to trade at 2,447.15 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly plans to visit Taiwan on Tuesday. China has warned of consequences if she makes the trip to what it views as its terri

Seoul shares closed higher Monday amid speculation a second straight quarterly US contraction may cause the Fed to become less aggressive in raising rates. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 0.75 point, or 0.03 percent, from the previous session to close at 2,451.5 points, extending its winning streak to the sixth day. Trading volume was moderate at 480.94 million shares worth 7.4 trillion won ($5.7 billion), with gainers outnu

South Korean shares opened lower Monday on a decline in major tech stocks amid global recession woes. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 8.14 points, or 0.33 percent, to trade at 2,443.36 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. Eyes are on whether the Federal Reserve will become less aggressive in raising rates following an aggressive 0.75-percentage point hike in the benchmark interest rates. Institutions and foreigners sold a combined 132 billion won worth of stock

Foreign investors were net buyers of South Korean stocks in July, reversing their selling spree for the last six months over recession worries and looking to step in and buy on the cheap amid signs of a market bottom. According to the Korea Exchange on Sunday, foreigners purchased net 2.3 trillion won ($1.7 billion) worth of shares on the benchmark Kospi, the highest monthly volume since a 3.3 trillion-won inflow in December last year. The main board rose to 2,451.50 Friday, up 5.1 percent from

South Korea’s Yoon Suk-yeol administration has declared war on the nation’s “deep-rooted” practice of illegal short selling, but retail investors and onlookers are expressing skepticism on whether the practice could really be uprooted. On Thursday, financial authorities and top prosecutors warned that all profit and hidden money from illegal short selling will be confiscated if the prosecution’s recently revived Financial and Securities Crime Joint Investigation Te

South Korean stocks advanced for the fifth consecutive session Friday as investors speculated that a second consecutive quarterly contraction in the US economy may prod the US Federal Reserve to take rate hikes that are less aggressive than previously expected. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 16.23 points, or 0.67 percent, from the previous session to close at 2,451.5 points. The figure is up 2.44 percent from a week ago. T

South Korean stocks opened higher Friday, as investors speculated that a second consecutive quarterly contraction in the US economy may prod the US Federal Reserve to take rate hikes that are less aggressive than previously expected. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 17.81 points, or 0.73 percent, to trade at 2,453.08 points in the first 15 minutes of trading. Stocks came off to a solid start after a 1.03 percent gain on the Dow Jones Industrial Average and a 1.08 percent adv