Seoul stocks open nearly flat on valuation pressure

South Korean stocks opened nearly flat Thursday on valuation pressure, after the benchmark index closed at an all-time high the previous session despite the new coronavirus concerns. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 0.45 point, or 0.02 percent, to 2,676.35 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Stocks traded choppy, with strong advances by chipmakers offset by institutional and foreign selling. Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.2 percent to 29,8

Dec. 3, 2020

Pandemic pushes major banks to offer early retirement

South Korea’s major banks have been asking employees to accept early retirement to cut costs amid the prolonged coronavirus pandemic, industry sources said Wednesday.  More than 1,700 employees at the nation’s five major commercial banks here -- Woori, Hana, Shinhan, KB Kookmin, NH NongHyup -- were offered early retirement between the end of December last year and early this year, industry data showed. To cope with financial setbacks stemming from the pandemic, local banks ar

Dec. 2, 2020

Seoul stocks set another record high; Korean won surges

South Korean stocks hit another all-time high Wednesday for the second consecutive session on the back of optimism surrounding COVID-19 vaccines and US stimulus. The Korean won sharply rose to an over 29-month high against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 41.65 points, or 1.58 percent, to close at 2,675.9. Trading volume was high at 1.05 billion shares worth around 16.9 trillion won ($15.3 billion), with gainers outnumbering losers 475 to 353. Forei

Dec. 2, 2020

Kospi rises 10th-sharpest among G-20 bourses in November

South Korea’s main bourse, Kospi, kept pace with the rallies of major stock markets in Group of 20 economies in November amid hopes of a global economic recovery and new coronavirus vaccine developments, data showed Wednesday. The Kospi index soared 14.3 percent through November, breaking the previous monthly increase record of 13.52 percent set in April 2009, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. This was the 10th-largest increase out of the 20 market indexes representing G-20 nations

Dec. 2, 2020

Kakao Bank pre-IPO cost Korea Investment W142b

Korea Investment & Securities board agreed to pay 142 billion won ($128.9 million) to its wholly owned subsidiary Korea Investment Value Asset Management, as Kakao Bank moves on to raise nearly a combined 1 trillion won by year-end before an initial public offering poised to take place next year, filings showed Wednesday. KIVAM is currently the second-largest shareholder of Kakao Bank after internet giant Kakao. KIVAM‘s proceeds will be used to buy 6 million newly issued common shar

Dec. 2, 2020

Seoul stocks open higher on Wall Street gains

South Korean stocks opened higher Wednesday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street amid optimism surrounding the possible availability of COVID-19 vaccines. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 24.16 points, or 0.92 percent, to 2,658.41 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 0.63 percent higher, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 1.28 percent, boosted by vaccine hopes. Pfizer with BioNTech and Moderna applied fo

Dec. 2, 2020

S. Korea's stock price gain in Nov. ranks 10th among G-20

South Korea's stock prices rose at the 10th-fastest pace among the Group of 20 (G-20) nations with major economies posting double-digit surges, data showed Wednesday. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) climbed 14.30 percent in November from the prior month, outpacing the previous record monthly increase of 13.52 percent recorded in April 2009. It was the 10th highest hike among the G-20 economies and outperformed their average 14.1 percent expansion. All G-20 members saw

Dec. 2, 2020

Mirae Asset wins lawsuit over $5.8b US hotel deal

Mirae Asset Global Investments, one of South Korea’s largest asset management firms, said Tuesday that it won a US court case against Chinese insurer Anbang Insurance Group over legal disputes involving a $5.8 billion deal to acquire luxury hotels. The Delaware Court of Chancery rejected Anbang’s demand of Mirae Asset to pay off the rest of the deal, and ordered the Chinese insurer to return $580 million it received from the South Korean company as a deposit of the deal, with inte

Dec. 1, 2020

Seoul stocks soar to new record high on economic recovery hopes

South Korean stocks rebounded from a sharp decline the previous session to hit a new all-time high Tuesday on the back of upbeat economic data, lifting hopes for a faster-than-expected recovery amid the pandemic. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 42.91 points, or 1.66 percent, to close at 2,634.25. Trading volume was high at about 1.1 billion shares worth some 15.7 trillion won ($14.2 billion), with gainers outnumbering los

Dec. 1, 2020

Ex-FSC vice chief likely to lead stock market operator

Sohn Byung-doo, former vice chairman of the Financial Services Commission, was named as the single candidate for the new chair post of the Korea Exchange, South Korea’s sole bourse operator, according to industry sources Tuesday. After conducting final interviews of three candidates a day earlier, the KRX’s chairman recommendation committee chose Sohn, insiders said without giving the names of the two others. The securities exchange operator is slated to hold a shareholders’ g

Dec. 1, 2020

Seoul stocks open higher on economic recovery hopes

South Korean stocks opened higher Tuesday on the back of upbeat economic data that raised hopes for a faster-than-expected recovery amid the pandemic. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 36.05 points, or 1.39 percent, to 2,627.39 in the first 15 minutes of trading. South Korea's economy grew 2.1 percent in the July-September period from the previous quarter, faster than its earlier estimate of 1.9 percent expansion. The country's exports also rebounded, rising 4 perce

Dec. 1, 2020

Seoul stocks sink over 1.5% on profit-taking

South Korean shares dropped more than 1.5 percent Monday after hitting an all-time high the previous session as investors attempted to cash in gains. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 42.11 points, or 1.6 percent, to close at 2,591.34. Trading volume was high at about 1.28 billion shares worth some 20.4 trillion won ($18.4 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 511 to 331. Foreigners sold a net 2.4 trillion won, while

Nov. 30, 2020

Korean Air to sell Incheon yacht marina

Korean Air Lines is inching closer to selling its yacht marina operation in Incheon to a new Korean buyer for roughly 130 billion won ($117 million). The investor group of Consus Asset Management and Mirae Asset Daewoo said Monday it has signed a memorandum of understanding as a preferred bidder to buy 100 percent stake in Wangsan Leisure Development, operator of Wangsan Marina, which is wholly controlled by the nation’s No. 1 flag carrier.　 Wangsan Marina was built in 2016. Part of the

Nov. 30, 2020

Percentage of 50,000 won notes returned to central bank falls to all-time low

South Korea’s central bank said Monday that the percentage of 50,000 won ($45.26) notes returned to the bank plummeted to a record low due to sentiment surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. The return rate fell to 25.4 percent for the first 10 months of this year, the lowest level since the notes began circulating in June 2009 and 39.4 percentage points lower than for the same period last year, the Bank of Korea said in a report. The BOK issued 21.9 trillion won worth of 50,000 won notes

Nov. 30, 2020

Warren Buffett’s favorite market indicator suggests Korean stocks may be overvalued

While South Korea’s benchmark index hit an all-time record of 2,633.45 on Friday, a global market gauge also reached a new high, suggesting the country’s stock market may be overvalued. The Buffett indicator -- US investor Warren Buffett’s preferred market indicator -- marked 112.7 percent as of Friday, according to data from the Bank of Korea and Korea Exchange on Monday. The indicator is calculated by dividing combined listed stocks’ market capitalization by the coun

Nov. 30, 2020

Seoul stocks open nearly flat amid virus surge

South Korean stocks opened almost flat Monday after the benchmark index set a fresh record high the previous session amid a resurgence of COVID-19 cases. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 1.05 points, or 0.04 percent, to 2,634.5 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Stocks got off to a muted start as a recent surge in infections dampened investor hopes for a faster-than-expected economic recovery amid global development of new COVID-19 vaccines. Investors are also tempted to lo

Nov. 30, 2020

[Global Finance Awards] Hana Bank leads digital finance ties among global industries

Hana Bank, a major South Korean lender, has been fostering cross-border connections with overseas firms and gearing up to take its online payment platform global. The firm’s holding group Hana Financial Group hosted a consortium of its Global Loyalty Network platform on Nov. 24, attended by 100 officials from 30 global banking groups, distributors and other financial institutions from 10 nations including China, Japan, Thailand, Russia, the US and the UK. The aim of the GLN is to bec

Nov. 29, 2020

[Global Finance Awards] Woori Bank integrates ESG values with finance

Woori Bank has been upholding environmental, social and governance values through issuance of ESG bonds and supporting green projects here. The lender won the Prime Minister Awards at the 2020 Global Green Management Excellence Awards co-hosted by Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. The award was created in 2006 to shed light on those that contribute to state-planned green projects. Woori’s issuance of sustainable bonds and financial support for rene

Nov. 29, 2020

[Global Finance Awards] Mirae Asset Global shines with high returns from local, overseas investments

Mirae Asset Global Investments, South Korea’s leading asset management firm, has a long track record both in and out the country. Especially during the volatile market amid the spread of COVID-19 around the globe this year, the firm’s performance has shone, as it newly launched or operated funds with high returns. By using a balanced portfolio strategy, its funds listed on Korea’s benchmark Kospi, and on the Nasdaq market in the US, outperformed by mainly investing in sectors

Nov. 29, 2020