Banks‘ short-term foreign borrowing dips in Nov.

South Korean banks’ short-term overseas borrowing declined in November as Europe‘s debt crisis prompted them to repay foreign debt to brace for the worsening of the turmoil, the financial watchdog said Tuesday.A total of 16 local banks refinanced 95.9 percent of their maturing debt with fresh foreign borrowing last month, down from 108 percent tallied in October, according to the Financial Supervisory Service.A bank’s short-term refinancing rate measures the percentage of its new borrowing again

Dec. 13, 2011

Banks’ ratings rise despite EU woes

Korea’s commercial banks recently saw their credit ratings raised while many big foreign banks suffered downgrades by three global rating agencies.According to the Korea Center for International Finance, six Korean banks recently enjoyed upgraded credit ratings or more positive outlooks from the rating firms.In July, Standard & Poor’s raised its rating of Shinhan Bank and Hana Bank by one notch.In November, Fitch Ratings revised its outlook on three state-run banks ― Industrial Bank of Korea, Ex

Dec. 12, 2011

Seoul shares rise 1.33% on EU deal

South Korean stocks closed 1.33 percent higher on Monday as investors were emboldened by hopes that a new EU fiscal treaty may help solve the eurozone debt crisis, analysts said. The local currency fell against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark KOSPI gained 25.01 points to 1,899.76. Trading volume was moderate at 404.2 million shares worth 5.28 trillion won ($4.61 billion) with gainers outpacing losers 515 to 293.“European leaders’ agreement on a new fiscal treaty gave some support to the market, bu

Dec. 12, 2011

Watchdog to look into mutual home loans by cooperative funds

South Korea’s financial watchdog said Monday it will look into whether local mutual cooperative funds followed rules on home loan extension as household debt has been on the rise, led by non-bank institutions.The Financial Supervisory Service said it plans to launch a field inspection into branches of the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, or Nonghyup, and National Credit Union Federation of Korea in a bid to uncover irregularities related to the extension of household lending.The FSS

Dec. 12, 2011

Private pension market to expand by 34% this year

The country’s private pension market is on course to expand by about 34 percent this year as more are joining the retirement market in one of the world’s fastest-aging societies, industry sources said Monday.The retirement and personal pension market is forecast to exceed 250 trillion won ($218 billion) by the end of this year, up from 187 trillion won last year, sources said. The flock to the pension market comes as Korea is fast becoming an aged society, as senior citizens aged 65 or older are

Dec. 12, 2011

Less than half of S. Korean firms see export gains in 2012: poll

Less than half of South Korean exporters predicted their overseas shipments will expand in 2012 amid lingering concerns of global economic slowdown, a survey showed Monday.According to a survey conducted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industries, 44.2 percent of 502 exporting companies said next year’s business will exceed figures for this year.The poll also showed 43.8 percent expected exports to remain unchanged from this year, while 12 percent expected a decrease in sales in foreign mar

Dec. 12, 2011

New policy measures may not reverse downward pressure in 2012

Worsening external conditions, faltering domestic consumption cloud the outlook furtherWhen an illness spreads too far, few kinds of medicine can bring it back under control.The implication of the newly unveiled economic policy blueprints fits this scenario, unfortunately, as the impact is seen as severely limited, if not altogether ineffective. The Finance Ministry’s set of plans, announced on Monday, are aimed at fighting the stubbornly strong downward pressure on Asia’s fourth-largest economy

Dec. 12, 2011

Public firms’ bond sales nearly double

South Korean public corporations’ bond sales have nearly doubled in three years as they increasingly resort to debt issuance to help finance state development projects, financial sources said Sunday.The value of outstanding bonds issued by state land developer LH Corp. and other public corporations under the central and provincial governments came to 283 trillion won ($247 billion) as of Friday, according to the sources.The figure is up 89 percent from 150 trillion won at the end of 2008 and amo

Dec. 11, 2011

Seoul shares to rebound on European crisis deal

South Korean shares are expected to rebound this week, as European leaders agreed last week on a series of fiscal measures to stem the ongoing debt crisis, analysts said Saturday.At their two-day summit that ended Friday, European leaders agreed to tighten anti-deficit rules and funnel money to the International Monetary Fund, thus preventing future debt run-ups.“The outcomes were roughly in line with market expectations,” said Kang Hyun-chul, an analyst at Woori Investment & Securities. “Now, i

Dec. 11, 2011

FSS chief stresses fair audit, accounting transparency

The nation’s top financial regulator on Friday urged accounting firms to commit to a rigorous audit of troubled savings banks to uproot accounting fraud.Financial Supervisory Service Gov. Kwon Hyouk-se pinpointed the lack of transparency in financial reports in the industry at a breakfast meeting with chiefs of the industry’s 13 biggest accounting firms.“Transparency is an essential element in a trusted relationship between banks and the public, and demand for honest reporting is growing,” Kwon

Dec. 9, 2011

Many brokerage houses to get new CEOs in 2012

More than half of securities company chiefs in Korea are about see the end of their terms, signaling a wave of management changes in the brokerage industry.According to the Korea Financial Investment Association, 29 out of 49 securities firms will see their tenures end next year.In particular, most of the 10 major securities firms are affected. Samsung Securities replaced its CEO on Dec. 7.The current figures include Daewoo Securities CEO Im Kee-young, Woori Investment and Securities CEO Hwang S

Dec. 9, 2011

Producer price growth hits 1-year low in Nov.

South Korea’s producer prices grew at the slowest clip in one year in November as prices of vegetables and fruits fell sharply, the central bank said Friday.The producer price index, a barometer of future consumer inflation, rose 5.1 percent in November from a year earlier, cooling from a 5.6 percent on-year gain in October, according to the Bank of Korea.Last month‘s data marked the slowest gain since a 4.9 percent gain tallied in November 2010, it added.Compared with the previous month, produc

Dec. 9, 2011

Hyundai, Kia top Russian car market

1.6-liter Gamma engine selected for the ‘Best 10 Engines’ list by U.S. auto mediaHyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia Motors became the No. 1 and No. 2 foreign carmakers, respectively, in Russian markets in November, according to industrial data.Hyundai posted sales of 17,283 units in Russia last month, maintaining the No. 1 position for the third consecutive month, according to the Association of European Businesses.Kia ranked second with sales of 15,115 units, overtaking GM Chevrolet with sales

Dec. 9, 2011

Shares sink 1.97% on eurozone fears

South Korean stocks fell 1.97 percent on Friday as investor sentiment was dampened by uncertainties over the eurozone debt crisis and a grim economic growth forecast, analysts said. The local currency declined against the U.S. dollar.The benchmark KOSPI lost 37.64 points to 1,874.75, sinking below the 1,900 point level for the first time since it finished at 1,847.51 on Nov. 30. Trading volume was moderate at 367.9 million shares worth 5.07 trillion won ($4.42 billion) with losers leading gainer

Dec. 9, 2011