Journalist

Yang Bo-yeon
  • KB Securities Q1 Operating Profit Jumps 101.7% to 453.1 Billion Won
    KB Securities Q1 Operating Profit Jumps 101.7% to 453.1 Billion Won KB Securities said Wednesday that its first-quarter operating profit rose 101.7% from a year earlier to 453.1 billion won, based on preliminary results. Revenue climbed 179.5% to 8.3509 trillion won, and net profit increased 92.8% to 350.2 billion won. The company said market volatility has persisted as domestic and overseas uncertainties have increased, but it has continued to lead the market on the back of steady performance centered on investment banking. It said its competitiveness in the global debt capital markets has continued to expand, citing lead management of foreign exchange stabilization fund bonds and “Kimchi bonds.” It also said it strengthened its position through four domestic refinancing deals for high-quality acquisition financing. KB Securities added that its wealth management business also grew, saying individual clients’ assets under management increased as it provided timely products and content in response to gains in the domestic stock market.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 18:12:17
  • KOSPI Hits Record High as Bond Yields Jump on Surprise GDP Growth
    KOSPI Hits Record High as Bond Yields Jump on Surprise GDP Growth South Korea’s stock and bond markets moved in opposite directions Thursday, with the KOSPI extending its record run while government bond yields surged after a stronger-than-expected first-quarter growth report raised concerns about tighter monetary policy. According to the Korea Exchange, the KOSPI closed up 57.88 points, or 0.90%, at 6,475.81. The index climbed as high as 6,557.76 during the session, setting an intraday record. Investor sentiment was supported after the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit record highs overnight on an extension of a Middle East ceasefire and strong earnings from major companies. Samsung Electronics led gains after rising to 229,500 won, an all-time high. Shares of companies seen as benefiting from strong earnings expectations also advanced, including LS ELECTRIC, up 11.74% after posting its biggest quarterly profit, and Doosan Enerbility, up about 5.78%. Bond markets, however, were jolted by economic data released earlier in the day. At 8 a.m., the Bank of Korea reported real GDP growth of 1.7% in the first quarter, nearly double the market forecast of 0.9%. As strong growth tied to a semiconductor upcycle was confirmed, expectations for interest-rate cuts later this year faded quickly, triggering heavy selling in bonds. Data from Koscom’s Check terminal showed yields rose across the curve. The two-year government bond yield posted the sharpest jump, up 10.1 basis points from the previous day. The three-year yield rose 9.6 basis points and the five-year yield gained 9.2 basis points, both up more than 9 basis points. Yields on longer maturities also climbed: the 10-year rose 9.5 basis points, the 20-year gained 7.9 basis points and the 30-year added 7.5 basis points. Analysts said the larger rise in short-term yields suggests markets are revising the expected path of rate cuts and pricing in tighter conditions sooner. Brokerages said volatility could persist as investors react to data surprises. A securities industry official said first-quarter GDP was strong on the semiconductor upcycle, but growth could slow slightly as Middle East risks are reflected. With geopolitical uncertainty lingering, the official said market rates are likely to swing as investors watch both economic indicators and developments in the region.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 17:06:51
  • KOSPI Slips After Brief Record High as Foreign Selling Intensifies; KOSDAQ Also Falls
    KOSPI Slips After Brief Record High as Foreign Selling Intensifies; KOSDAQ Also Falls After opening above 6,500 and setting an intraday record high, South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI turned lower on April 23 as foreign investors stepped up selling. According to the Korea Exchange, the KOSPI was down 47.63 points, or 0.74%, at 6,370.30 as of 12:23 p.m., compared with the previous session. The index opened up 70.90 points, or 1.10%, at 6,488.83 and extended gains on institutional buying before reversing course. In the main board market, individuals and foreigners were net sellers of 86.3 billion won and 363.5 billion won, respectively, while institutions were net buyers of 530.1 billion won. Among top market-cap stocks, SK hynix fell 2.13%, Hyundai Motor dropped 1.94%, LG Energy Solution slid 4.54%, Hanwha Aerospace lost 0.64% and Samsung Biologics declined 1.47%. Samsung Electronics rose 0.69%, SK Square added 0.14% and Doosan Enerbility gained 2.85%. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ was down 20.87 points, or 1.77%, at 1,160.25 at the same time. It opened up 7.98 points, or 0.68%, at 1,189.10 but quickly turned lower. In the KOSDAQ market, foreigners and institutions were net sellers of 265.3 billion won and 114.0 billion won, while individuals were net buyers of 412.2 billion won. Among leading KOSDAQ shares, EcoPro fell 5.30%, EcoPro BM dropped 5.73%, Alteogen slipped 0.56%, Rainbow Robotics lost 1.01% and Lino Industrial declined 0.75%. ABL Bio rose 1.06%, Kolon TissueGene added 0.20% and LigaChem Biosciences gained 1.75%.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 14:12:17
  • KOSPI Opens Higher, Breaks Above 6,500 as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix Rally
    KOSPI Opens Higher, Breaks Above 6,500 as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix Rally South Korean stocks opened higher for a fourth straight session. The benchmark KOSPI briefly climbed above 6,500 soon after the open, extending its run of record highs to a third day, led by gains in chip heavyweights Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. According to the Korea Exchange, the KOSPI was up 121.87 points, or 1.90%, at 6,539.80 as of 9:28 a.m. It opened up 70.90 points, or 1.10%, at 6,488.83 and then added to gains. The index crossed 6,500 around 9:01 a.m. and continued to rise on institutional buying. Han Ji-young, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities, said the market was likely to be supported by fresh record highs in U.S. stocks led by key sectors such as artificial intelligence and semiconductors, along with expectations for first-quarter results from domestic market leaders. She said attention would focus on the direction of semiconductor shares. Overnight, all three major U.S. indexes closed higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 340.65 points, or 0.69%, to 49,490.03. The S&P 500 gained 73.89 points, or 1.05%, to 7,137.90, and the Nasdaq advanced 397.603 points, or 1.64%, to 24,657.567. Investor sentiment improved after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would extend a ceasefire, citing divisions inside Iran, the report said. In the main market, individuals were net sellers of 781.2 billion won, while foreigners and institutions were net buyers of 233.3 billion won and 594.6 billion won, respectively. Among top market-cap stocks, Samsung Electronics rose 4.60%, SK Hynix gained 3.35%, Hyundai Motor added 0.18%, SK Square climbed 4.86%, Doosan Enerbility advanced 5.35% and Samsung Biologics edged up 0.06%. LG Energy Solution fell 3.72%, Hanwha Aerospace slipped 0.42% and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries dropped 3.90%. Samsung Electronics was trading at 227,750 won as of 9:35 a.m., up 10,250 won, or 4.71%, from the previous session, setting a record high. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ was down 5.30 points, or 0.45%, at 1,175.82 at the same time. It opened up 7.98 points, or 0.68%, at 1,189.10 but turned lower on foreign selling. In the KOSDAQ market, foreigners and institutions were net sellers of 161.8 billion won and 78.4 billion won, while individuals were net buyers of 249.7 billion won. Among top KOSDAQ stocks, EcoPro fell 2.25%, EcoPro BM lost 2.29%, Samchundang Pharm dropped 4.84% and HLB slid 1.32%. Rainbow Robotics rose 2.18%, Lino Industrial gained 3.41% and ABL Bio added 0.93%.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 09:42:53
  • Samsung Electronics Jumps More Than 4%, Sets Record High
    Samsung Electronics Jumps More Than 4%, Sets Record High Samsung Electronics hit a record high on the 23rd. According to the Korea Exchange, shares were trading at 224,000 won as of 9:18 a.m., up 7,000 won (3.22%) from the previous session. The stock rose to an intraday record of 227,000 won shortly after the open, then pared gains to hover near 220,000 won. At the same time, SK hynix was up 20,000 won (1.64%) at 1,243,000 won. Overnight, all three major U.S. indexes closed higher. On the New York Stock Exchange, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended up 340.65 points (0.69%) at 49,490.03. The S&P 500 gained 73.89 points (1.05%) to 7,137.90, and the Nasdaq rose 397.603 points (1.64%) to 24,657.567. Markets were buoyed after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would extend a ceasefire, citing divisions inside Iran. Optimism also grew after the New York Post reported that Trump said there could be “good news” as early as the 24th regarding a second round of talks on ending the war with Iran.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 09:27:15
  • NH Investment & Securities Raises KEPCO E&C Target on Expected Large Nuclear Orders
    NH Investment & Securities Raises KEPCO E&C Target on Expected Large Nuclear Orders NH Investment & Securities on April 23 raised its target price for KEPCO E&C to 240,000 won from 220,000 won, citing expectations that the company will win more large nuclear power plant orders in the United States and Europe. It maintained its “buy” rating. Analyst Lee Min-jae said investment in large nuclear plants is becoming more visible, led by the United States, and KEPCO E&C is expected to benefit as AP1000-based projects expand. He said that if “Team Korea” participates, the company is likely to secure orders centered on comprehensive design services, strengthening earnings growth momentum. Lee said the key basis for the higher target price was an upward revision to the assumed order price for 10 large U.S. reactors. He added that, within a cooperation structure with Westinghouse, KEPCO E&C is likely to take on stable design work. He also said Europe is showing a clearer move to expand nuclear adoption after geopolitical risks, and that additional order momentum is expected as more countries choose the AP1000. Lee said that if “Team Korea” wins more orders across the Middle East, Europe and South Korea, and projects in additional countries materialize, the company’s order backlog could exceed forecasts. Over the medium to long term, he said, valuation could be reassessed as the nuclear market grows.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 09:11:16
  • Korea Stocks Hit Record, but Gains Concentrate in Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix
    Korea Stocks Hit Record, but Gains Concentrate in Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix ◆Aju Economy Top News ▷"Korea market sees only semiconductors"…70% of foreign buying flows to Samsung and SK Hynix; ETFs also dominated by chips -Korea’s benchmark KOSPI has set a record and moved above 6,400, but the rally has been concentrated in semiconductor heavyweights such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, fueling concerns about market crowding. -Combined, the two companies now account for more than 40% of total market capitalization and have made up more than 55% of this year’s increase in KOSPI market value, effectively driving the index higher. -This month, 41% of net institutional buying and about 70% of net foreign buying went into Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, underscoring chip-centered flows. -The trend has also spread to the ETF market, where products with large semiconductor exposure have grown quickly as asset managers roll out new funds and competition intensifies. -A leveraged ETF tied to Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix is scheduled to launch next month, a move expected to deepen the concentration. Expectations for wider AI adoption and improved earnings have supported semiconductor strength. ◆Key Reports ▷Japan equity strategy: Focus returns to earnings -Japanese stocks plunged after the U.S.-Iran war, then staged a swift V-shaped rebound to record highs as ceasefire talks advanced and risk appetite returned. -The rebound followed a valuation reset and was led by markets with solid profit momentum. East Asian equities, including Japan, and semiconductor-led IT shares drove gains. -Looking ahead, Japan’s market may be influenced by events including Bank of Japan policy, U.S.-Iran negotiations and earnings season, but the broader direction is expected to hinge on corporate results. -Semiconductors, defense and banks are projected to account for about 61% of this year’s EPS growth, with expanding AI investment and government policy support reinforcing growth momentum in semiconductor-heavy IT. -However, despite wage gains, improvements in consumption and retail indicators have been limited, while energy prices and external risks remain a burden, potentially delaying a broader rally into domestic-demand sectors. ◆Major disclosures after the close (22nd) ▷SK Hynix: 265.8 billion won cash dividend ▷LG Display: 1.1 trillion won investment in OLED infrastructure ▷Kyobo No. 16 SPAC: Trading halt to be lifted on the 23rd ▷Exchange: Trading halt for Ponylink shares ▷SI Resource: Shift to a co-CEO structure with Jeon Sun-ok and Choi Kyung-duk ▷Finger: Decision on a 30 billion won third-party allotment capital increase ◆Fund flows (as of the 21st, excluding ETFs) ▷Domestic equity funds: +21.4 billion won ▷Overseas equity funds: -10.3 billion won ◆Key events today (23rd) ▷South Korea: Consumer sentiment index (April), GDP growth rate (Q1) ▷United States: New home sales, Chicago Fed National Activity Index* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-23 08:07:08
  • Samsung Electro-Mechanics shares rise nearly 5% on outlook for record results
    Samsung Electro-Mechanics shares rise nearly 5% on outlook for record results Samsung Electro-Mechanics surged on April 22, as upbeat brokerage forecasts appeared to lift investor sentiment. According to the Korea Exchange, shares were trading at 810,000 won as of 2:48 p.m., up 38,000 won, or 4.92%, from the previous session. Earlier in the day, Daishin Securities raised its target price by 67.3% to 920,000 won in a premarket report, saying improved profitability would help the company expand market share. Seo Ji-won, an analyst at Daishin Securities, said Samsung Electro-Mechanics is expected to post its best-ever results for a second straight year. He cited grounds for a higher valuation including record performance in 2026 and 2027, additional investment in flip-chip ball grid array (FC-BGA) to move into the No. 1 market-share position, and expectations of price increases for FC-BGA and multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC). Seo said FC-BGA prices are rising, driven by artificial intelligence, and that a structural supply shortage for AI server and data-center FC-BGA is persisting. He added that large-scale additional investment could help the company become the global No. 1 in AI-related FC-BGA. He also said demand for MLCC is growing in industrial uses, particularly in AI semiconductors and data centers, and that rising market share could deepen supply shortages, creating conditions that would allow price increases.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 15:22:06
  • Brokerages Tighten Margin Lending as Retail Debt-Fueled Trading Heats Up Again
    Brokerages Tighten Margin Lending as Retail Debt-Fueled Trading Heats Up Again As the Kospi extends its rally, signs of overheating have reappeared in retail investors’ debt-fueled trading, prompting brokerages to tighten credit and step up risk controls. According to the financial investment industry on the 22nd, KB Securities began restricting new purchases of SK hynix through contracts for difference, or CFDs, from 9 a.m. the previous day. CFDs are high-risk over-the-counter derivatives that settle only price differences without owning the underlying asset. Because they can be highly leveraged, losses can grow quickly when market volatility rises. Mirae Asset Securities also adjusted margin requirements and stock classifications for some names starting that day. Twenty stocks — including Alteogen, HYBE, Kakao and LG Energy Solution — were moved up from group E to group F. Margin requirements for 10 stocks, including Hana Micron and Daeduck Electronics, were raised to 100% from 30% to 40%. Stocks set at 100% margin or placed in group F face limits such as restrictions on new margin-buying and extensions of loan maturities. Toss Securities, after raising margin requirements to 100% the previous day for some stocks including Korea Information & Communication and Jusung Engineering, expanded the list that day to include Korea Airport and Samsung Electro-Mechanics preferred shares. Kakao Pay Securities halted all new margin-buying orders, citing exhaustion of its credit limit. “Depending on market conditions, we are implementing additional risk-management measures such as adjusting margin requirements,” the firm said. The moves follow a sharp rise in margin trading. Data from the Korea Financial Investment Association showed outstanding margin loans across the main Kospi market and the Kosdaq market topped 34 trillion won for the first time on the 17th, reaching 34.0279 trillion won, and then rose to 34.2592 trillion won on the 20th. Market watchers said retail investors have been placing more aggressive leveraged bets as the Kospi set fresh record highs and expectations for further gains grew. Some also warned that momentum-driven buying aimed at quick profits could add downside pressure if volatility increases. A brokerage industry official said leveraged investing can magnify losses as quickly as gains, calling for extra caution. The official said investors should approach carefully by closely weighing their ability to repay and their tolerance for risk, especially during periods of rising volatility. 2026-04-22 14:36:17
  • NH-Amundi Asset Management Outlines Five Physical AI Investment Themes
    NH-Amundi Asset Management Outlines Five Physical AI Investment Themes NH-Amundi Asset Management, which launched what it described as South Korea’s first active exchange-traded fund focused on physical artificial intelligence, on Tuesday laid out its investment strategy for the physical AI era. The firm said companies that use AI effectively are likely to be bigger beneficiaries than those that primarily build AI, and it presented themes spanning the AI value chain, including energy, optical communications infrastructure and semiconductors. The company held a “Physical AI Investment Strategy” briefing in Seoul’s Yeouido district and named five themes to watch in the physical AI value chain: energy, optical communications infrastructure, semiconductors, AI models and applications. “Physical AI doesn’t take a single form. Humanoids and autonomous driving are only the beginning,” said Choi Dong-geun, head of the firm’s ETF management team. He said physical AI is already spreading into advanced manufacturing processes, intelligent logistics systems, automated ports and precision surgical robots, changing how industries operate, including agriculture and health care. “The imperfections of the real world created by humans are, in fact, an opportunity for AI,” he added. Choi said market leadership in the AI investment cycle has shifted in sequence from GPUs to power, high-bandwidth memory, storage and optical communications infrastructure, and he stressed the importance of identifying companies that can relieve the next bottleneck. In energy, he pointed to surging electricity demand from AI computing. “The most expensive part of implementing AI is electricity,” Choi said, adding that the ability to secure power supply and energy infrastructure is becoming a competitive advantage. He said optical communications infrastructure is emerging as a key way to ease data bottlenecks. As inference-based AI services expand and data volumes jump, network bandwidth is becoming a new constraint, he said, arguing that optical networks that can replace the limits of copper-based systems could lead the next supercycle. Choi said semiconductors should remain attractive as benefits spread beyond memory to central processing units, analog chips and power semiconductors, while hyperscalers continue to increase capital spending. He also cited Nvidia’s next-generation AI platform adopting a high-voltage direct-connection approach as another reason the importance of power semiconductors is rising. He also highlighted AI models and applications, saying AI is evolving from simple question-and-answer tools into agents that can judge and act, increasing the value of companies that apply AI in real workplaces to lift productivity and profitability. In applications, Choi said traditional manufacturers could be re-rated. He said industrial companies with strong capabilities in hydraulics, bearings, fuel control and precision control could be reborn as key component suppliers in the physical AI era. He urged investors to focus on “AI hyper-adopters” that make AI a core business tool and significantly improve profitability. The briefing also highlighted performance of the firm’s “HANARO Global Physical AI Active ETF.” As of April 20, about a year after listing, it had returned more than 127%, outperforming the Nasdaq 100 by about 78 percentage points over the same period. Kwon Yong-min, head of the ETF Product Research Team, said the fund initially searched for beneficiaries across five areas — infrastructure, robots, autonomous driving, edge AI and applications — and later increased exposure after identifying network speed and cost-efficient AI infrastructure sectors early. He said the performance gap widened in the second half as the fund added memory semiconductors, optical communications infrastructure and beneficiaries in traditional industries.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-22 13:53:25