Big Tech gains lifted the value of South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS) U.S. stock holdings by 2.4 percent to $158.74 billion in the third quarter, according to its filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Thursday. The so-called Magnificent Seven added $5.5 billion in value, more than the portfolio’s overall $3.66 billion increase, as losses in other semiconductor holdings offset some of the gains. A stronger won neverthele

Musinsa has partnered with Thailand's Central Group to make inroads into the country, expanding its Southeast Asian presence to five markets, the unisex fashion platform said on Friday. The move follows an exclusive distribution agreement signed last week with Central Marketing Group, an affiliate of the Thai retail giant, to open stores in major Thai shopping districts and develop products and marketing tailored to local consumers. Musinsa plans to leverage its

Genesis BBQ has opened its first store in South Africa, marking its entry into the African market through a local franchise partner, the chicken franchise giant said on Friday. The outlet, located at Cresta Crossing Mall in Johannesburg's Randburg area, offers fried chicken alongside Korean dishes such as tteokbokki, bulgogi and bibimbap, as well as chicken burgers, pasta and salads. The opening, which follows an agreement signed with local Korean food distribut

The yen weakened to a two-month low as stronger-than-expected U.S. inflation fueled expectations of faster Federal Reserve rate increases and a wider interest-rate gap with Japan. It traded at 159.91 per dollar at noon in Tokyo on Friday, 0.21 yen weaker than the previous day, after slipping past 160 in New York for the first time since early September. The Bank of Japan is widely expected to raise rates at its Dec. 17–18 meeting, but caution over the economic

Paris Baguette has opened its first drive-thru store in the U.S., the bakery chain said on Friday. The outlet, located in Moore, Oklahoma, is part of its efforts to expand the franchise business in car-dependent suburban markets. Customers can order coffee, sandwiches, cakes, pastries and bread without leaving their cars, and pick up any in-store item at the drive-thru window after placing an order online or through its app. Paris Baguette operates about 320 stores

South Korean stocks led gains across a mixed Asian market Friday morning, as bargain hunting lifted semiconductor shares in Seoul and Tokyo despite Nvidia's leadership turmoil, while Chinese markets slipped. The KOSDAQ climbed 3.56 percent to 721.32, outpacing the KOSPI's 2.09 percent rise to 5,454.30 as of 10:36 a.m. Japan's Nikkei 225 gained 1.73 percent to 61,872.00, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 0.74 percent to 23,830.00 and mainland Chi

South Korea's junior KOSDAQ outpaced the main KOSPI Friday morning despite uncertainty surrounding Nvidia's leadership shake-up, climbing 3.59 percent to 721.53. The KOSPI gained 2.08 percent to 5,453.93 as of 10:19 a.m. Bellwethers SK hynix rose 2.79 percent to 1,289,000 won ($962) and Samsung Electronics gained 2.40 percent to 213,000 won. On the junior bourse, semiconductor equipment stocks Jusung Engineering and Wonik Holdings rose 5.47 percent and 7.24

South Korean stocks rose more than 2 percent despite the departure of Jensen Huang as CEO of Nvidia, whose exponential buildout and growth have helped lift Korean chip shares. The main KOSPI was up 2.45 percent at 5,471.53 and the junior KOSDAQ gained 2.34 percent to 713.24 as of 9:20 a.m. Bellwethers SK hynix rose 2.87 percent and Samsung Electronics gained 2.28 percent to 212,300 won as investors were relieved of some uncertainty over the future of the premier AI c

Bank lending remains heavily concentrated in real estate, while funding for corporate investment is losing momentum. According to financial sources on Friday, housing-related loans at five major banks reached 623.03 trillion won (US$466 billion) at the end of October, up 1.9 percent from December last year, while loans to real estate and leasing businesses rose 3.4 percent year-on-year to 223.19 trillion won at the end of June, accounting for about 26 percent of corpor

South Korean automakers are returning to the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) market after nearly a decade, hoping to tap niche demand as sales recover. According to industrial sources on Friday, GM Korea is expected to begin full-scale sales of the Buick Electra E7 as early as this month, while KG Mobility plans to unveil its PHEV-equipped midsize SUV, the SE10, in January next year. Domestic PHEV sales, which peaked at 19,701 units in 2021 before declining f

Shares fell sharply Friday as Seoul weighed the aftereffects of the exit of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Shares of Samsung Electronics plunged 5 percent and SK hynix 8 percent as foreigner sold off a net 300 billion won ($280 million.)