-
Gold trading in Korea quadruples amid relentless global rally
Gold prices are soaring as investors flock to safe-haven assets amid escalating global trade tensions. In South Korea, where the gold rush has reached a fever pitch, daily trading volume has quadrupled, according to market data. Spot gold surged to a record $3,357 per ounce on global markets on Thursday, extending its year-to-date gain to 26 percent, two days after breaching the $3,300 threshold for the first time. In Korea, prices were slightly lower at around 4.3 million won ($3,020) per ounce
April 20, 2025 -
Seoul shares end higher on hopes for smooth US tariff negotiations
South Korean stocks finished higher Friday as investors bet on smooth tariff negotiations between the United States and its trading partners. The local currency fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 13.01 points, or 0.53 percent, to close at 2,483.42. Trade volume was light at 444 million shares worth 5.5 trillion won ($3.87 billion), with winners beating losers 619 to 247. Institutions purchased a net 81.4 billion won worth of stocks, while foreign an
April 18, 2025 -
Seoul shares open tad higher on US-Japan tariff talks
South Korean stocks opened a tad higher Friday on rising hopes for progress in trade talks between the United States and Japan. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 5.51 points, or 0.22 percent, to 2,475.92 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, US stocks closed lower. The Nasdaq declined 0.13 percent, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.33 percent. However, investors remained optimistic following US President Donald Trump's comments about "big progress" in the bi
April 18, 2025 -
Seoul shares open slightly higher despite US losses
South Korean stocks started slightly higher Thursday despite losses on Wall Street, driven by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's pessimistic comments on economic growth. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 9.85 points, or 0.4 percent, to 2,457.28 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, Wall Street closed sharply lower after Powell said higher-than-expected tariffs would lead to higher inflation and slower growth and remained firm about a possible rate movement. The Dow
April 17, 2025 -
Seoul shares rise for 2nd day on overnight US gains
South Korean stocks on Tuesday closed higher for the second straight session, moving in line with overnight US stock gains over eased concerns over President Donald Trump's tariff measures. The Korean fell against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 21.52 points, or 0.88 percent, to close at 2,477.41. Trade volume was moderate at 550.7 million shares worth 6.4 trillion won ($4.49 billion), with winners beating losers 707 to 179. Institutions bought a net 182.8 bil
April 15, 2025 -
Indonesia tightens rules on foreign banks, targeting Korean financial firms
Korean commercial banks are under pressure from Indonesian financial authorities to establish local holding companies, adding to the regulatory challenges that have hampered their efforts to expand in the market. According to industry sources on Tuesday, Otoritas Jasa Keuangan, Indonesia’s independent financial regulatory agency, mandates that companies with either two or more financial affiliates in the country and total assets exceeding 100 trillion Indonesian Rupiah ($5.95 billion), or three
April 15, 2025 -
Seoul shares open higher tracking overnight Wall Street gains
South Korean stocks opened slightly higher Tuesday, moving in line with overnight US stock gains over eased concerns over President Donald Trump's tariff measures. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 11.07 points, or 0.45 percent, to 2,466.96 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, Wall Street closed higher following Trump's announcement of an exemption from reciprocal tariffs for smartphones, computers and other electronics over the weekend. The S&P 500 gained 0.79 perce
April 15, 2025 -
Seoul shares end lower on escalating US-China tariff row
South Korean stocks finished lower Friday amid an intensifying trade conflict between the United States and China stemming from Washington's reciprocal tariff scheme. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 12.34 points, or 0.5 percent, to close at 2,432.72. Trade volume was moderate at 361 million shares worth 7.61 trillion won ($5.25 billion). Winners, however, beat losers 536 to 340. Foreigners sold a net 688.5 billion won worth of stock
April 11, 2025 -
Seoul shares open sharply lower on intensifying US-China tariff row
South Korean stocks opened sharply lower Friday amid an intensifying trade conflict between the United States and China stemming from Washington's reciprocal tariff scheme. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index 39.21 points, or 1.6 percent, to 2,405.85 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, Wall Street, which rallied the previous session from US President Donald Trump's pause on reciprocal tariffs for 90 days, plunged amid the intensifying tit-for-tat retaliatory tariff measure
April 11, 2025 -
Korean stocks join global rally on US tariff reprieve
South Korean stocks surged Thursday after US President Donald Trump unexpectedly paused planned tariffs, triggering trading halts on both the main and secondary boards amid a buying frenzy. The benchmark Kospi soared 6.6 percent to close at 2293.70, marking its sharpest gain in over five years. The tech-laden Kosdaq also rose 5.97 percent in its biggest daily jump since Aug. 6 last year. The relief rally came after Trump authorized a 90-day pause on his “reciprocal tariff” plans for all countrie
April 10, 2025 -
Historic US stock rally lifts Seoul markets; Kospi up 5% in first 15 mins, won gains
Sidecar activated as Kospi jumps 5.15% in first 15 minutes of trading South Korean stocks soared at the start of Thursday’s trading session, following a major rally on Wall Street overnight. The surge came after US President Donald Trump announced a temporary pause on reciprocal tariffs for key trading partners, including South Korea — with China as the only exception. The benchmark Kospi jumped 118.11 points, or 5.15 percent, to 2,411.81 within the first 15 minutes of trading. This sharp reboun
April 10, 2025 -
Seoul shares dip to 17-month low on Trump tariffs; won sinks to 16-yr low
South Korean stocks fell by nearly 2 percent to a 17-month low Wednesday as the Donald Trump administration's sweeping tariffs stoked fears of an intensifying trade war between the United States and China. The local currency fell sharply against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 40.53 points, or 1.74 percent, to close at 2,293.70. It marked the lowest closing since Oct. 31, 2023, when it finished at 2,277.99. Trade volume was moderate at 692.55 million shares wo
April 9, 2025 -
Tariff blow sinks Kospi, clouds growth outlook
The South Korean benchmark Kospi sank below the threshold of 2,300 points for the first time in 17 months, suffering a blow from the angst surrounding "reciprocal tariffs" imposed by the US. Coupled with the stock market’s slump, the value of the Korean won against the US dollar further weakened past 1,480 won. As 25 percent tariffs on Korean goods imported to the US took effect Wednesday as previously scheduled, the Kospi closed daytime trading at 2,293.7, sliding 40.53 points, or 1.74 percent,
April 9, 2025 -
Seoul shares open lower on US tariffs
South Korean stocks started lower Wednesday amid woes over global trade uncertainties sparked by the Donald Trump administration's tariff scheme. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 15.9 points, or 0.68 percent, to 2,318.33 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, Wall Street lost ground, with the S&P 500 down 1.57 percent, the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping 0.84 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite sliding 2.15 percent. The US administration's reciprocal tar
April 9, 2025 -
Tariff shock: Sidecar triggered as Kospi falls below 2,400
Foreign investors remain cautious, but stimulus hopes and easing tariff risks may spark recovery later this year, analysts say South Korean stocks slumped Monday as renewed US tariff threats rattled markets, triggering a rare trading halt to curb volatility. The benchmark Kospi plunged 5.57 percent to close at 2,328.2, its lowest finish since November 2023. The tech-heavy Kosdaq also slumped 5.25 percent to 651.3. Panic selling erupted from the opening bell, prompting a sidecar — a five-minute h
April 7, 2025