Hot Stock: Hanwha Systems almost hits the ceiling on Trump-era military ambitions SEOUL, January 09 (AJP) - Shares of Hanwha Systems surged close to the daily trading ceiling on Friday, fueled by expectations of a sharp increase in U.S. military spending. The stock jumped as much as 24.7 percent to 75,200 won ($51.7) intraday before paring gains to 74,200 won by 2:30 p.m., far outperforming the benchmark KOSPI, which was up less than 0.5 percent. The rally followed remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who vowed to raise the U.S. defense budget by more than 50 percent to $1.5 trillion by 2027, after ordering what he described as a “surgical” military raid in Venezuela and issuing increasingly confrontational remarks toward other regions, including Greenland. Defense stocks had been volatile earlier in the week after Trump criticized U.S. defense contractors for prioritizing dividend payouts and share buybacks. Sentiment, however, rebounded on expectations that a significantly larger defense budget would translate into expanded government contracts. Major U.S. defense firms, including Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, recovered earlier losses following Trump’s budget comments, helping lift defense shares globally. Hanwha Systems, an affiliate of Hanwha Group, specializes in radar, command-and-control systems and electronic warfare solutions. The company has also been expanding into space-related businesses, including satellite communications and other advanced defense technologies. The sharp rise came amid broad gains across South Korean defense stocks, including Hanwha Aerospace, while trading volume in Hanwha Systems spiked markedly, underscoring strong intraday demand. 2026-01-09 15:55:33

Shipbuilders lift South Korean stocks as Asian markets trade mixed SEOUL, January 08 (AJP) - Asian equities were mixed on Thursday, while South Korean stocks ended marginally higher as a sharp rally in shipbuilding shares offset weakness in technology-heavy stocks. In Seoul, the benchmark KOSPI edged up 0.03 percent to close at 4,552.37, finishing largely flat as gains among shipbuilders countered declines elsewhere. Buying in the sector was driven by rising expectations of large shipbuilding and offshore project orders linked to Canada. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ underperformed, slipping 0.3 percent to 944.06, as investors locked in profits in selected growth and small-cap shares. Shipbuilders led the market higher. Hanwha Ocean jumped 6.6 percent to 129,300 won, emerging as one of the day’s top performers on optimism over potential large-scale contracts. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries climbed 4.9 percent to 584,000 won, while SK Oceanplant gained 5.4 percent to 20,850 won. Samsung Heavy Industries rose 4.1 percent to 26,400 won, and HJ Shipbuilding & Construction added 1.9 percent to 24,750 won, reflecting broad-based strength across the sector. The rally was further supported by fresh order news. HD Hyundai Marine Engine said it had signed a ship engine supply contract with China’s Jiangsu New Yangzi Shipbuilding, according to a regulatory filing. The contract is valued at 24.3 billion won ($18.2 million), equivalent to 7.7 percent of the company’s 2024 consolidated revenue of 315.8 billion won. Outside shipbuilding, entertainment stocks rebounded after recent volatility. Shares of major K-pop agencies rose as investors looked beyond fading expectations for an easing of China’s restrictions on Korean cultural content and refocused on longer-term growth prospects. SM Entertainment gained 1.3 percent to 117,000 won, while YG Entertainment surged 5.1 percent to 67,600 won. JYP Entertainment rose 1.7 percent to 71,200 won, and Hybe added 1.5 percent to 334,000 won, supported by expectations of high-profile artist comebacks slated for 2026. The Korean won weakened slightly amid steady demand for the U.S. dollar, closing at 1,451.59 per dollar as of 4:20 p.m. local time. Elsewhere in Asia, major markets finished little changed. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 1.6 percent to 51,117.3, while China’s Shanghai Composite edged down 0.07 percent to 4,083, as investors remained cautious ahead of global economic data and policy signals. 2026-01-08 17:44:58

KOSPI unfazed in upward march as Asian markets turn subdued SEOUL, January 7 (AJP) - South Korean stocks surged Wednesday while most Asian markets traded lower, as renewed foreign buying and strength in artificial intelligence-related shares propelled the benchmark to fresh highs. In Seoul, the KOSPI rose 1.0 percent to 4,572.50 as of 11:00 a.m., extending its year-to-date rally and marking another record level. The advance followed a rotation in investor leadership, with foreign investors taking the baton from retail traders after Tuesday's rally. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ slipped 0.8 percent to 948.40, weighed down by losses in entertainment and biotechnology stocks. Overall market sentiment remained stable, with investors rotating among sectors rather than pulling money out of equities. Gains in defense, artificial intelligence and select industrial stocks helped offset weakness elsewhere. Chipmakers led the advance. Samsung Electronics climbed 2.3 percent to 142,100 won ($98.10), while SK hynix jumped 3.6 percent to 752,000 won, extending gains on sustained optimism toward AI-related demand. The rally followed remarks by Jensen Huang, chief executive of Nvidia, who highlighted accelerating demand for advanced computing and memory technologies during his keynote address at CES 2026. Huang's comments reinforced market expectations for continued investment in AI infrastructure, supporting the medium-term demand outlook for high-bandwidth memory and advanced semiconductors produced by Korean chipmakers. Battery and industrial shares traded mixed. LG Energy Solution fell 1.6 percent to 371,500 won, while HD Hyundai Heavy Industries rose 3.3 percent to 568,000 won on continued optimism over shipbuilding orders. Hanwha Aerospace slipped 0.7 percent to 1,015,000 won after recent strong gains. Entertainment stocks underperformed after President Lee Jae Myung's visit to China failed to deliver progress on the long-anticipated lifting of the de facto ban on Korean concerts and entertainment activities. HYBE fell 4.2 percent to 321,500 won, while JYP Entertainment dropped 3.3 percent to 69,200 won. SM Entertainment slid 4.7 percent to 111,600 won, and YG Entertainment declined 3.9 percent to 62,900 won. In the foreign-exchange market, the won traded narrowly at around 1,448.3 per dollar, as gains in equities were offset by lingering external uncertainties. Elsewhere in Asia, Japanese stocks moved lower in early trade. The Nikkei 225 slipped 0.5 percent to 52,284.2, pressured by declines in financial and technology shares. Toyota Motor fell 2.6 percent to 3,344 yen ($21.30), while Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group edged down 0.3 percent to 2,617 yen. SoftBank Group slipped 0.3 percent to 4,704 yen. In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite edged down 0.1 percent to 4,080.4, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 0.5 percent to 26,588.9, as investors remained cautious amid unresolved geopolitical risks. 2026-01-07 11:23:38

Hot Stock: HD Hyundai Heavy Industries gains over 6% on LNG carrier order SEOUL, January 06 (AJP) - Shares of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries surged more than 6 percent on Tuesday after its parent secured a major LNG carrier order, reinforcing expectations for a strong orderbook this year. The stock closed up 6.2 percent at 545,000 won, after climbing as high as 550,000 won during intraday trading. Buying interest intensified following news that HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) had landed a 1.5 trillion won ($1.02 billion) contract to build four ultra-large liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers. HD KSOE disclosed that it signed the deal with a shipowner in the Americas to construct four 200,000-cubic-meter LNG carriers, which will be built at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries’ Ulsan shipyard and delivered sequentially through the first half of 2029. The order highlights HD KSOE’s competitiveness in the high-value LNG carrier segment, where demand is expected to remain robust as global energy companies expand liquefaction capacity and modernize aging fleets. According to a report from Clarksons, global LNG trade volumes are projected to grow steadily over the next decade, providing long-term structural support for demand for advanced LNG carriers such as those built by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. The newly ordered vessels will be equipped with high-efficiency shaft generators and LNG reliquefaction systems, technologies designed to reduce fuel consumption and lower emissions—features increasingly favored by shipowners amid tightening environmental regulations. Investor sentiment toward the broader shipbuilding sector has also improved on expectations of a sustained order upcycle and rising demand for eco-friendly vessels. Separately, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries said it has delivered a 22,000-cubic-meter liquefied carbon dioxide carrier to Greece-based Capital Clean Energy Carriers. The vessel, named ACTIVE, is the first of four such carriers ordered from the shipbuilder in 2023 and 2024. 2026-01-06 17:37:57

KOSPI takes breather while Asian markets stay broadly strong SEOUL, January 06 (AJP) - South Korean stocks took a pause on Tuesday after a relentless rally since year-end, while broader Asian markets largely maintained upward momentum following overnight gains on Wall Street, despite lingering geopolitical jitters tied to Venezuela. In Seoul, the benchmark KOSPI edged down 0.1 percent to 4,451.94 as of 11:00 a.m., as institutional investors locked in profits after the index recently scaled fresh record highs. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ also slipped 0.3 percent to 954.93. Overall market moves were measured, with investors rotating toward market leaders amid recent volatility. Gains in select industrial, defense and shipbuilding stocks helped offset profit-taking in heavyweight chipmakers. Samsung Electronics fell 2.1 percent to 135,200 won ($93.4), while SK hynix slid 1.7 percent to 684,500 won in early trade, reflecting profit-taking after a strong rally. Despite the pullback, sentiment toward chipmakers remained constructive, with analysts pointing to steady AI-driven demand. Battery and industrial shares traded mixed. LG Energy Solution, the country’s third-largest company by market capitalization, rose 1.1 percent to 375,500 won, while HD Hyundai Heavy Industries advanced 2.1 percent to 524,000 won. Hanwha Aerospace, however, slipped 1.78 percent to 994,000 won amid profit-taking after recent gains. By contrast, entertainment stocks underperformed the broader market, weighed down by lingering uncertainty over overseas content demand and regulatory risks. HYBE fell 1.9 percent to 333,500 won, while JYP Entertainment slid 1.2 percent to 71,800 won. SM Entertainment dipped 0.4 percent to 118,500 won, and YG Entertainment eased 0.2 percent to 65,000 won. In the currency market, the Korean won traded little changed against the dollar, hovering around 1,447.6 won per dollar, as investors balanced improved equity sentiment against external risk factors. In Tokyo, Japanese stocks extended gains in early trade. The Nikkei 225 rose 0.7 percent to 52,196.3, supported by advances in autos, financials and technology-related shares. Among major heavyweights, Toyota Motor climbed 2.1 percent to 3,472 yen ($22.2), while Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group gained 2.7 percent to 2,613.5 yen on strength in financial shares. Elsewhere in Asia, market moves were more restrained. Mainland China’s Shanghai Composite added 1.4 percent to 4,023.4, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.6 percent to 26,507.3. 2026-01-06 11:26:46

HOT STOCK: Hopes of China K-pop ban easing fizzle, sending shares lower SEOUL, January 05 (AJP) -South Korea’s K-pop sector retreated Monday as high expectations for an easing of China’s long-standing de facto ban on Korean entertainment though the momentum of President Lee Jae Myung’s state visit to Beijing fizzled out. Shares that had rallied on optimism over renewed access to the Chinese market reversed sharply. HYBE fell 2.5 percent, JYP Entertainment slid 6.2 percent, and YG Entertainment dropped 7.5 percent. SM Entertainment posted the steepest decline, plunging 10.1 percent and erasing a large portion of recent gains tied to China-reopening hopes. The retreat followed comments by presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik, who said the “lifting of the unofficial ban on Korean culture is expected to take some time,” dampening expectations that concerts and broadcasts would resume in the near term. Among the roughly 200-member business delegation accompanying Lee’s trip were entertainment industry figures, including Son Kyung-shik, chairman of CJ Group, and SM Entertainment CEO Jang Cheol-hyuk—fueling earlier speculation that progress on cultural exchanges could be imminent. Entertainment stocks had surged ahead of the visit on prospects of concerts, broadcasts and online content distribution resuming in China, one of the industry’s most lucrative overseas markets. Despite the sell-off, Choi Min-ha, an equity analyst at Samsung Securities, said fundamentals for leading entertainment companies remain intact, supported by robust global demand for K-pop, strong overseas touring and expanding digital content businesses. Monday’s move suggests profit-taking and a reset of timelines rather than a reassessment of the sector’s long-term prospects, he added. 2026-01-05 17:21:21

Korean and Japanese shares roar ahead into 2026's first full week SEOUL, January 05 (AJP) -South Korean and Japanese equities surged into the first full trading week of 2026, outpacing most Asian peers as investors rotated into large-cap exporters and technology stocks, while regional markets elsewhere remained cautious amid uncertainty stemming from recent upheaval in Venezuela. In Seoul, the benchmark KOSPI climbed 1.9 percent to 4,393.5 points as of 10:20 a.m. Monday. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ added 0.6 percent to 950.98. Overall market gains were measured rather than euphoric, but buying interest remained firm in heavyweight exporters and chipmakers. Samsung Electronics jumped 5.1 percent to 134,950 won ($93.3), while SK hynix rose 1.7 percent to 690,000 won, as expectations built ahead of Samsung’s fourth-quarter earnings guidance due later this week. Battery and industrial names also advanced. LG Energy Solution, the country’s third-largest company by market value, gained 1.8 percent to 367,500 won. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries edged up 0.79 percent to 508,000 won, while Hanwha Aerospace surged 4.1 percent to 985,000 won. Korea Zinc also added 0.7 percent to 1,295,000 won. By contrast, entertainment stocks slid amid speculation that Beijing’s de facto restrictions on Korean cultural content were unlikely to ease following the Korea–China summit. HYBE fell 2.6 percent to 336,000 won, JYP Entertainment dropped 5.7 percent to 73,200 won, SM Entertainment slid 9.2 percent to 120,200 won, and YG Entertainment lost 6.7 percent to 65,700 won. In Tokyo, Japanese stocks also opened the year strongly. The Nikkei 225 jumped 2.6 percent to 51,670, supported by gains in autos, financials and technology-linked shares. Among major heavyweights, Toyota Motor rose 1.9 percent to 3,420 yen ($21.8), Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group gained 2.1 percent to 2,544 yen, and SoftBank Group advanced 4.4 percent to 4,597 yen. Elsewhere in Asia, gains were more restrained as investors assessed broader geopolitical risks. In mainland China, the Shanghai Composite edged up 0.7 percent to 3,997.5, while Hang Seng Index added 0.2 percent to 26,381. 2026-01-05 11:41:49