Seoul shares open tad higher on US gains

South Korean stocks opened slightly higher Monday, tracking US gains. The won traded higher against the dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 2.19 points, or 0.09 percent, to 2,364.01. Foreigners continued to sell domestic stocks, weighing on the KOSPI index. They sold 162.9 billion won ($144 million) worth of stocks in the previous session.On Friday (local time), the Dow Jones industrial average inched up 0.11 percent to end at 21,384.28, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Compo

June 19, 2017

Korea ranks 14th worldwide in stock market value

South Korea ranks 14th worldwide in terms of stock market value as its bourses have performed superbly this year on the back of strong foreign buying, data showed Monday.The combined market capitalization of the country's main and secondary stock markets came to $1.55 trillion as of the end of May, up 20.8 percent from end-2016, according to the data from the bourse operator Korea Exchange.South Korea's ranking was up one spot over the cited period, during which the total value of 81 exchanges b

June 19, 2017

Apartment prices grow 3 times faster than household income

Apartment prices in South Korea on average grew nearly three times faster than current household income over four years under the previous administration, data showed Sunday. The price of jeonse -- referring to deposits for a two-year lease of a house instead of monthly payments -- also rose sixfold compared to income over the cited four years. The average current monthly household income rose by 8.7 percent, from 3.93 million won ($3,470) at the end of 2012 to 4.27 million won at the end of 201

June 18, 2017

Loans for facility investments hit record high

Loans taken out to finance facility expansions reached an all-time high in March, in line with a recovery in exports and the global economy, data showed Sunday.According to the data compiled by the Bank of Korea, facility loans reached a record 404.87 trillion won ($356 billion) as of end-March, up 9.21 trillion won from the end of last year. From a year ago, the figure also swelled by 42.39 trillion won, the data showed.The data indicate that local firms are set to increase spending on facility

June 18, 2017

China stretches finance muscle through AIIB

China has been striving to take the lead in reshaping regional and global economic governance by creating a fresh network that connects Eurasia and South Pacific through a multilateral development financing institution, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.In 2013, China’s President Xi Jinping expressed the country’s aim to leverage and realize its centerpiece foreign policy, the “One Belt, One Road” initiative. Since 2015, China has encouraged 65 countries to partici

June 16, 2017

Rebidding for remaining Incheon airport duty-free store license falls through again

The rebidding to lease out the remaining duty-free store license for Incheon International Airport's new passenger terminal fell through again due to a lack of tenders, the transportation hub operator said Friday.The license bidding to run an apparel and accessories store in the second terminal failed for the sixth time with Shinsegae DF as the only company taking part in the auction, according to Incheon International Airport Corp. (IIAC). Incheon airport, lying west of Seoul, is South Korea's

June 16, 2017

Finance minister holds talks with head of China-led regional lender

Finance Minister Kim Dong-yeon held talks on Thursday with Jin Liqun, president of a Chinese-led regional lender, during which the two sides agreed to step up cooperation, officials said. The talks between Kim and Jin were held a day before the annual meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in South Korea's southern island of Jeju.  During the meeting, Kim told Jin that South Korea wants to develop "strategic cooperation" with the AIIB, Kim's ministry said in a

June 15, 2017

[AIIB] Finance leaders welcome AIIB delegates

Lee Dong-geol, chairman and CEO of the Korea Development BankI extend my warm congratulations to the 2017 Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Annual Meeting to be held in Jeju from Friday to Sunday. Under the theme of sustainable infrastructure, the meeting will be an opportunity for all participants to engage in finding solutions for the balanced development and shared growth of Asia, and draw the attention of the world to the immense infrastructure potential of the region. As one of Korea&rsq

June 15, 2017

[Photo News] Online banking upgrade

June 15, 2017

Fed hike dents Korean stock markets

South Korea’s stock markets dipped Thursday after the US Federal Reserve on Wednesday decided to raise its benchmark interest rate by 0.25 percent and shrink its balance sheet. The benchmark indexes -- the Korea Composite Stock Price Index and Korean Securities Dealers Automated Quotations -- sank along with other Asian markets in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai. The Kospi closed at 2,361.65, down 0.46 percent, compared to Wednesday, while the Kosdaq slid 0.26 percent in closing from a day e

June 15, 2017

K bank meets annual goal in deposits

K bank has drawn 520 billion won ($463.1 million) in deposits in total within less than three months since its launch, surpassing its annual goal, according to news reports Thursday. K bank, South Korea‘s first online-only lender, reportedly exceeded its earlier goal by the end of 2017 on Tuesday, after kicking off the customer service on April 3. It had aimed to attract 500 billion won in customer deposit and lend 400 billion won. As of the end of May, K bank extended some 410 billion won

June 15, 2017

Seoul stocks end lower after US Fed rate hike

South Korean stocks finished lower Thursday as institutional investors dumped major large cap shares to lock in recent gains, following the US rate hike, analysts said. The Korean won lost ground against the US dollar.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 10.99 points, or 0.46 percent, to close at 2,361.65. Trade volume was moderate at 333.18 million shares worth 5.78 trillion won ($5.14 billion), with losers far outnumbering gainers 555 to 236.The local stock market had opened a

June 15, 2017

Asian countries show high receptivity to smart payment

South Korea, China and Southeast Asian countries appear to be open to adopting new ways of payment involving devices such as smartphones, wearables and other connected devices for greater convenience, said global card payment company Visa on Thursday.International internet-based market research firm YouGov conducted a survey on 10,500 adults from 13 countries in the Asia-Pacific region to find out their receptivity to new payment technologies. Eighty-seven percent of the respondents from Korea s

June 15, 2017

[Herald Interview] AIIB chief puts quality ahead of quantity in projects

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, a China-backed multilateral development bank, aims to put the quality of projects ahead of quantity, the bank’s head said.Since launching with 57 signatory countries in January, 2016, the AIIB saw its members increase to 77 and the bank invest in 13 projects worth $2.1 billion as of the end of May. “We anticipate our 2017 investments to be between $2 and $2.5 billion, but our focus remains on quality projects not just quantity,” AIIB Pr

June 15, 2017

Seoul shares down in late morning on tech losses

South Korean stocks traded lower late Wednesday morning as institutions offloaded large-cap tech stocks in an apparent move to lock in profits, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 13.27 points, or 0.56 percent, to 2,359.06 as of 11:20 a.m. Most large caps traded mixed with tech shares bolstering the market.Market kingpin Samsung Electronics added 0.31 percent after opening higher. SK hynix, a major chipmaker, meanwhile, was up 1.35 percent.The local currency was tr

June 15, 2017

Banks' foreign currency deposits rises in May

Foreign currency deposits held by banks operating in South Korea rose in May as exporters increased their deposits of dollar-denominated earnings, central bank data showed Thursday.Outstanding foreign currency deposits held by local banks, domestic and foreign, reached $69.94 billion in May, up $2.55 billion from a month earlier, the Bank of Korea said in a statement. Broken down, foreign currency deposits held by domestic lenders came to $59.87 billion in May, up from 57.98 billion in April. Th

June 15, 2017

Seoul shares open tad higher on tech shares

South Korean stocks opened mildly higher Thursday, largely helped by bullish tech large caps, analysts said.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index inched up 1.05 points, or 0.04 percent, to reach 2,373.69 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Large-cap stocks on the bourse were mixed across the board, with tech shares pushing up the market.Market behemoth Samsung Electronics gained 1.6 percent, and global chipmaker SK hynix advanced 1.35 percent.The local currency was trading at 1,11

June 15, 2017

Growth of household loans continues to slow down

The growth of household loans continued to surge at a slower pace in May compared to the previous year, data showed Wednesday.The volume of household loans increased by 10 trillion won ($8.9 billion) in May this year, according to data from the Financial Services Commission. In the same month last year, the volume had risen by 11.9 trillion won.Among household loans in May, those extended by commercial lenders and trust banks surged 6.3 trillion won. Loans by nonbanking lenders saw their increas

June 14, 2017