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  • South Korea’s Kospi Slips After Topping 6,750 as Foreign Selling Spurs Profit-Taking
    South Korea’s Kospi Slips After Topping 6,750 as Foreign Selling Spurs Profit-Taking South Korea’s Kospi climbed above the 6,750 level in intraday trading on April 30 but reversed to finish lower as foreign investors sold and overseas uncertainties weighed on sentiment. Ahead of a holiday, profit-taking erased earlier gains and pushed the benchmark back into the 6,590 range. According to the Korea Exchange, the Kospi closed down 92.03 points, or 1.38%, at 6,598.87. It opened up 48.49 points, or 0.72%, at 6,739.39 and briefly topped 6,750 before turning negative. In the main market, retail investors bought a net 1.8065 trillion won, while foreigners and institutions sold a net 1.6773 trillion won and 99.7 billion won, respectively, as they locked in gains. Most heavyweight stocks fell. Samsung Electronics dropped 2.34%, Hyundai Motor slid 4.50%, LG Energy Solution fell 2.64%, Doosan Enerbility lost 1.63%, Hanwha Aerospace dipped 0.21%, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries fell 0.72% and Samsung Biologics slipped 0.20%. SK hynix rose 1.33%. The Kosdaq closed down 27.91 points, or 2.29%, at 1,192.35. Retail investors bought a net 653.5 billion won, while foreigners and institutions sold a net 300.3 billion won and 310.9 billion won, respectively. Kosdaq leaders were mixed. Rainbow Robotics rose 0.15% and Lino Industrial gained 6.33%, while EcoPro fell 4.25%, EcoPro BM lost 2.82%, Alteogen dropped 3.03%, Samchundang Pharm slid 6.09%, Kolon TissueGene fell 5.03%, HLB lost 3.02%, ABL Bio dropped 5.14% and LigaChem Bio fell 5.50%. Lee Kyung-min, a researcher at Daishin Securities, said net foreign selling expanded while institutional selling eased, helping support the market’s lower end. He said the Kospi stayed weak as it digested a hawkish Federal Open Market Committee stance and inflation concerns tied to high oil prices.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 15:58:36
  • SK Square Hits 52-Week High on SK Hynix Rally
    SK Square Hits 52-Week High on SK Hynix Rally SK Square rose to an intraday 52-week high on Wednesday, lifted by strength in shares of chipmaker SK Hynix. According to the Korea Exchange, SK Square was trading at 845,000 won as of 1:39 p.m., up 15,000 won, or 1.81%, from the previous session. The stock climbed as high as 877,000 won during the session, setting a new 52-week high. The move was widely seen as reflecting expectations that SK Square’s stake value will rise as SK Hynix shares advance. SK Square is SK Hynix’s largest shareholder with a 20.5% stake and is a holding company focused on investments in information and communications technology, artificial intelligence and semiconductors. Brokerage optimism also continued. NH Investment & Securities said in a report Wednesday that it raised its target price for SK Square to 1.10 million won from 740,000 won, citing a strong semiconductor cycle and what it described as a virtuous cycle of shareholder returns. It maintained a “buy” rating. Ahn Jaemin, an analyst at NH Investment & Securities, said SK Hynix — which accounts for an “absolute” share of SK Square’s net asset value — has continued a steep rise on the back of favorable semiconductor conditions, adding that SK Square’s corporate value has been rising in tandem. Ahn said the stock’s high sensitivity reflects expectations that business expansion, including additional mergers and acquisitions within the semiconductor value chain, could emerge around SK Square. He also cited an active shareholder-return policy, including annual share buybacks and cancellations. He added that the company plans a 200 billion won cash dividend this year and said SK Square’s relatively smaller market-cap weight than SK Hynix offers a supply-and-demand advantage for benchmark-tracking institutional investors seeking to increase exposure. Ahn also said the semiconductor industry is undergoing structural change as diversified memory is adopted in line with a trend he called “layering of computation,” arguing that demand is unlikely to fade quickly. He said that supports expectations for further gains in SK Hynix shares and, in turn, SK Square’s corporate value.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 13:56:03
  • Samsung Electronics Hits Intraday 230,000 Won, Sets 52-Week High on Strong Q1 Results
    Samsung Electronics Hits Intraday 230,000 Won, Sets 52-Week High on Strong Q1 Results Samsung Electronics climbed to a new 52-week high in intraday trading on strong semiconductor-driven earnings, while SK hynix also rose. According to the Korea Exchange, Samsung Electronics was trading at 229,000 won as of 9:33 a.m., up 3,000 won, or 1.33%, from the previous session. It briefly touched 230,000 won early in the session, setting a fresh 52-week high. The move followed the company’s earnings announcement, which lifted investor sentiment. At the same time, SK hynix was up 24,000 won, or 1.78%, at 1,317,000 won. Samsung Electronics said preliminary consolidated operating profit for the first quarter totaled 57.2328 trillion won, up 756.1% from a year earlier. Revenue rose 69.2% to 133.8734 trillion won, and net profit increased 474.3% to 47.2253 trillion won. The company said both revenue and operating profit were record highs on a quarterly basis, surpassing the previous peaks by a wide margin. By division, the Device Solutions (DS) semiconductor business posted revenue of 81.7 trillion won and operating profit of 53.7 trillion won, leading the gains. The Device Experience (DX) business, which covers finished products, reported revenue of 52.7 trillion won and operating profit of 3 trillion won.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 09:51:50
  • South Korea’s Kospi Extends Gains, Briefly Tops 6,750 Ahead of Holiday
    South Korea’s Kospi Extends Gains, Briefly Tops 6,750 Ahead of Holiday South Korea’s Kospi extended its advance on April 30, briefly topping the 6,750 level ahead of a holiday. As of 9:05 a.m., the Kospi was up 51.16 points, or 0.76%, at 6,742.06, according to the Korea Exchange. It opened up 48.49 points, or 0.72%, at 6,739.39 and climbed as high as 6,750 during early trading. Overnight, U.S. stocks finished mixed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.57% and the S&P 500 slipped 0.04%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.04%. Oil prices jumped. ICE June Brent crude rose 6.1% to $118.03 a barrel and touched $119.76 intraday, the highest since June 2022. NYMEX June WTI surged 6.95% to $106.88 a barrel. Seo Sang-young, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities, said U.S. stocks opened lower after oil spiked, with WTI moving above $107 a barrel, following comments by President Donald Trump that he would not lift a maritime blockade against Iran. He said semiconductor companies showed resilience after earnings reports, but the impact was limited as investors waited for results from major technology firms. In the Kospi market, foreigners were net buyers of 379.6 billion won, while individuals and institutions sold a net 184.1 billion won and 191.4 billion won, respectively. Among heavyweight shares, Samsung Electronics rose 1.55%, SK hynix gained 2.09%, Hyundai Motor added 0.27%, SK Square climbed 3.01%, Hanwha Aerospace rose 0.21% and Samsung Biologics advanced 0.41%. LG Energy Solution fell 1.48%, Doosan Enerbility slipped 0.77% and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries lost 0.43%. The Kosdaq was down 0.54 point, or 0.04%, at 1,219.72. It opened at 1,224.75 but gave up gains and turned lower. On the Kosdaq, individuals bought a net 266.6 billion won, while foreigners and institutions sold a net 178.3 billion won and 57.2 billion won, respectively. Rainbow Robotics rose 3.16% and Lino Industrial gained 4.01%. EcoPro fell 1.19%, EcoPro BM slipped 0.47%, Alteogen lost 1.18%, Samchundang Pharm dropped 3.16%, Kolon TissueGene fell 2.51%, HLB slipped 0.63%, ABL Bio lost 2.23% and LigaChem Biosciences fell 2.11%. Han Ji-young, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities, said local stocks were likely to see a split market between semiconductors and other sectors as investors weigh mixed factors, including the burden of higher oil prices, an April Federal Open Market Committee decision that held rates steady with a hawkish tone, after-hours strength in hyperscaler shares and a roughly 16% after-hours jump in Qualcomm.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 09:34:34
  • NH Investment Raises EcoPro BM Target on Expected Hungary Plant Expansion
    NH Investment Raises EcoPro BM Target on Expected Hungary Plant Expansion NH Investment & Securities said April 30 it expects EcoPro BM to expand its second plant in Hungary in the second half of the year, raising its target price 14% to 280,000 won and maintaining its “buy” rating. In a report, NH analyst Joo Min-woo said customer strategies are being revised to reflect Europe’s IAA rules and the TCA (EU-U.K. trade agreement), which he said is increasing the likelihood of winning orders from new customers, including CATL. Joo said EcoPro BM is a key cathode-material supplier to Samsung SDI and is expected to benefit as Samsung SDI expands European electric-vehicle sales for models including the Ioniq 3, EV2, Audi, Benz and BMW. He added that EcoPro BM is also expected to benefit directly from a recovery in sales of cylindrical batteries used in BBU and power tools. Joo said EcoPro BM’s first-quarter revenue fell 4% from a year earlier to 605.4 billion won, while operating profit was 20.9 billion won, beating the market consensus. He attributed the results to the start of mass production of nickel-cobalt-manganese-aluminum (NCMA) cathode materials for Samsung SDI’s new European volume models, including the EV2 and Ioniq 3, and improved non-EV sales as demand for Samsung SDI’s power tools and BBU strengthened. He said sales to SK On totaled about 4,000 tons, rising from the previous quarter as volumes for the Europe-bound Volkswagen ID.4 gradually recovered. Joo said the factors behind the strong first quarter are expected to persist, with both selling prices and volumes continuing to grow.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 08:31:11
  • KOSPI Closes at Record 6,690.90 for Third Straight Session Despite OpenAI Jitters
    KOSPI Closes at Record 6,690.90 for Third Straight Session Despite OpenAI Jitters ◆Aju Economy Top Stories ▷KOSPI closes at record 6,690.90 for third straight session despite OpenAI concerns -According to the financial investment industry on the 29th, the KOSPI ended at 6,690.90, rewriting its all-time closing high. In the main board market, retail investors bought a net 167.4 billion won, and institutions purchased a net 477.7 billion won. Foreign investors sold a net 613.6 billion won, taking profits. -Overnight, U.S. stocks finished lower, led by declines in technology shares as uncertainty tied to OpenAI weighed on sentiment. Reports said OpenAI, which is preparing for an initial public offering, failed to meet internal targets, dampening risk appetite. -AI-related shares were hit. Nvidia fell 1.6%, while Oracle and CoreWeave, described as key cloud partners of OpenAI, slid 4.1% and 5.8%, respectively. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index dropped 3.58%. -South Korean stocks also opened under pressure. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix fell 1.13% and 1.23% at the open, and the KOSPI started down 0.33% at 6,619.00. Buying demand strengthened later in the session, pushing the index back into positive territory. ◆Key report ▷Late-session rebound: KOSPI extends record run to three sessions (Yuanta Securities) -On the 29th, the KOSPI rose 0.8% and the Kosdaq gained 0.4%. Both opened slightly lower as concerns about OpenAI’s performance were reflected early. -From mid-session, foreign buying in Samsung Electronics, which ended up 1.8%, helped lift the market. Shares tied to the AI and semiconductor value chain, including power infrastructure and energy storage systems, also posted solid gains, driving the turnaround and another record close for a third straight session. -Strength in defense and refining and chemical shares also supported the broader market. The report said increased oil-price volatility after the UAE announced it would leave OPEC did not appear to have a major impact on equities. -Investors were shifting attention to the Federal Open Market Committee’s policy rate decision due the next day and earnings releases from major U.S. tech companies. ◆Major filings after the close (29th) ▷OrganoidScience: 6 billion won capital increase via third-party allotment ▷DearU: Additional 14.7 billion won purchase of shares in U.S. unit; stake to 100% ▷DA Technology: 2.7 billion won capital increase via third-party allotment ▷SK IE Technology: 86.3 billion won investment in China separator subsidiary ▷HS Hyosung: Q1 operating profit 12.5 billion won, up 3.8% from a year earlier ▷HYBE: Q1 operating loss 196.6 billion won, turning to a loss ◆Fund flows (as of the 28th, excluding ETFs) ▷Domestic equity funds: +4.3 billion won ▷Overseas equity funds: -5.1 billion won ◆Key events today (30th) ▷South Korea: Retail sales (March), industrial production (March) ▷Japan: Industrial production (March) ▷China: Manufacturing PMI (April), services PMI (April), Caixin manufacturing PMI (April) ▷Germany: Retail sales (March) ▷Eurozone: Consumer price index (April), GDP growth (Q1) ▷United States: GDP growth (Q1), personal consumption expenditures and income (March), PCE price index (March)* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-30 07:45:22
  • Korea’s ETF Copycat Boom Grows Despite Index Priority Rules
    Korea’s ETF Copycat Boom Grows Despite Index Priority Rules Since the second half of last year, exchange-traded funds have been one of the main drivers of the stock market’s rise, drawing heavy inflows from retail investors seeking returns with less single-stock risk. But many ETFs are increasingly hard to tell apart, with multiple products tracking the same index or using nearly identical structures. Market participants warn that “copycat” competition is becoming entrenched. A priority-rights system was introduced to curb the problem, but its effectiveness is in doubt. ◆ Look-alike ETFs multiply According to the financial investment industry on April 29, net assets in South Korea’s ETF market totaled 431.447 trillion won as of April 28, up 45.1% from 297.1401 trillion won at the end of last year. The number of listed ETFs rose to 1,099. Even so, critics say product differentiation remains weak, with similar funds often launched around the same time whenever a theme gains attention. A prominent example is U.S. space and aerospace-themed ETFs. After Hana Asset Management launched “1Q U.S. Space Aerospace Tech” on Nov. 25 last year, the category has grown to five ETFs. Samsung Asset Management joined in March with “KODEX U.S. Space Aerospace.” On April 14, Mirae Asset Management and Korea Investment Trust Management launched “TIGER U.S. Space Tech” and “ACE U.S. Space Tech Active,” respectively. Shinhan Asset Management also introduced “SOL U.S. Space Aerospace TOP10,” promoting what it called an industry-low fee level. While details differ, the overall frameworks are largely similar. The same pattern has emerged in so-called “Samsung Electronics-SK Hynix bond-mix” products, which allocate 25% each to Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix and the remaining 50% to bonds such as Korean Treasury bonds and Monetary Stabilization Bonds. After KB Asset Management launched “RISE Samsung Electronics SK Hynix Bond Mix 50” in February, Samsung Asset Management followed on April 7 with “KODEX Samsung Electronics SK Hynix Bond Mix 50.” Hana Asset Management launched “1Q K-Semiconductor TOP2 Bond Mix 50” on April 14, and Kiwoom Asset Management introduced “KIWOOM Samsung Electronics & SK Hynix Bond Mix 50” on April 21. With essentially the same asset-allocation structure, differentiation is limited. ◆ Protections that exist mostly on paper Despite the spread of similar products, institutional safeguards have not taken hold. Protective mechanisms run by the Korea Exchange and the Korea Financial Investment Association have seen no applications or use for nearly five years, the report said. As a result, firms can design similar ETFs by making only minor adjustments to product structures. That has fueled the proliferation of look-alike funds, in contrast to the global ETF market, where managers build more differentiated lineups based on fee strategies, asset classes and management styles. Industry officials and the organizations involved cite practical limits to granting exclusivity to any single ETF. ETF structures are rarely entirely new, and it is difficult to claim rights over the underlying constituent stocks. “If you adjust the weightings or bond duration, it is recognized as a different index, so it is not easy to control,” an industry official said. Another issue is that index priority rights apply only within a narrow scope based on an index’s originality. KB Asset Management received six months of index priority rights after launching “RISE 200 Weekly Covered Call” in March 2024, with its approach recognized as distinctive for seeking extra returns by selling call options on the KOSPI 200. However, in December that year, Samsung Asset Management also received three months of index priority rights for “KODEX 200 Target Weekly Covered Call.” While both use a call-selling strategy, Samsung’s product set a target distribution rate and adjusted the option-selling ratio accordingly, presenting a partially different approach. That means a product can be treated as a separate index by modifying details while relying on the same underlying investment idea. One asset management industry official said South Korea’s ETF market is still in a formative stage and could diversify over time into more distinctive offerings, as seen recently with the emergence of active-focused managers. The official said the current wave of copycat products may be a transitional phenomenon amid rapid growth.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 18:22:27
  • EV Charging Firm Chaevi Jumps 132% in KOSDAQ Debut
    EV Charging Firm Chaevi Jumps 132% in KOSDAQ Debut Chaevi, an electric-vehicle charging infrastructure company, surged in its KOSDAQ debut as buying poured in after trading opened. Shares were trading at 28,550 won as of 10:21 a.m. on Tuesday, up 132.11% from the IPO price of 12,300 won, according to the Korea Exchange. The exchange approved Chaevi’s KOSDAQ listing on April 27 and began trading on Tuesday. Newly listed shares are not subject to the volatility interruption mechanism, known as VI, on the first day, which can lead to larger price swings. Founded in 2016, Chaevi operates an EV charging infrastructure business based on electric motors and generators and electric conversion, supply and control equipment. It is known as the first domestic EV charging infrastructure company to pursue an initial public offering. In institutional demand forecasting held April 10-16, 751 institutions participated, posting a 55-to-1 competition ratio. In the retail subscription held April 20-21, the competition ratio was 302-to-1. The IPO price was set at 12,300 won, the bottom of the indicated range of 12,300 won to 15,300 won.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 10:36:14
  • Korea Investment & Securities Raises Kumho Tire Target Price 71% on Improved Results
    Korea Investment & Securities Raises Kumho Tire Target Price 71% on Improved Results Korea Investment & Securities said Kumho Tire posted solid results despite production disruptions from last year's factory fire, raising its target price 71% to 7,500 won and maintaining a 'buy' rating. In a report issued Tuesday, analyst Kim Chang-ho said higher raw material costs had already been reflected in earnings estimates, but the firm raised its profitability forecast to account for stronger-than-expected sales volume and an increase in average selling prices. Kim said Kumho Tire's first-quarter operating profit rose 0.3% from a year earlier to 147 billion won, in line with the market consensus. He added that profit also increased from the previous quarter and called the result effectively robust given production setbacks after a fire at the company's Gwangju plant in May 2025. He cited expanded use of lower-cost inputs, led by stabilized natural rubber prices, along with improved product mix that supported tire price increases and higher output at other plants, including in Vietnam. He said the Gwangju plant, which has resumed production, recovered to about 10,000 tires a day in April, partially normalizing to an annual capacity of 3 million tires. Kim cautioned that higher-cost raw material inputs beginning in the second quarter will be a burden. He pointed to rising geopolitical risks in the Middle East and a sharp jump in global oil prices, which he said drove a surge in butadiene, a key feedstock for synthetic rubber. He added that with synthetic rubber prices rising and natural rubber also turning higher, material cost pressure is expected to increase from the second quarter, with the materials ratio likely peaking in the third quarter.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-29 08:27:16
  • South Korean Lawmakers Weigh Token Securities as Tool to Share Real Estate Gains, Curb Jeonse Fraud
    South Korean Lawmakers Weigh Token Securities as Tool to Share Real Estate Gains, Curb Jeonse Fraud Tokenized securities, known as STOs, could become a new financial tool to share profits from real estate development with the public and help reduce damage from jeonse rental fraud, speakers said at a National Assembly-linked forum as South Korea prepares to bring STOs into the regulated system. The Democratic Party’s Digital Assets Task Force held a discussion on April 28 at the Korea Financial Investment Association’s training center in Seoul’s Yeouido district, focusing on real estate finance models using STOs and possible responses to jeonse fraud. Participants included In Ho, a professor at Korea University’s Blockchain Research Institute (KDAA); Hong Seung-pil, a professor at Hanshin University; Ahn Chang-won, a program manager at the Institute of Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation; Kim Jin-hoe, an official at the Ministry of Science and ICT’s Digital Society Planning Division; Kim Dong-wook, a managing director at Hana Securities; Chu Hyo-hyun, vice president at Apanda Partners; and Park Sang-wook, a unit head at Bankware Global. In, the first presenter, proposed using STOs to return a share of real estate development gains to the public. “Global tokenized assets are expected to grow to about $16 trillion by 2030,” he said, adding, “We no longer have time to stay at the starting line.” He said STOs had been limited by a lack of legal basis and the absence of a secondary market, but that revisions to laws have now created an institutional foundation. “It’s time to move to the execution stage,” he said. In outlined three real estate STO models: a national housing welfare fund model, a presale-linked model and a national dividend model. Under the concept, the public could participate in development projects and share profits in the form of dividends. “Traditional real estate development has been a zero-sum structure among stakeholders, but applying STOs shifts it to a structure where everyone shares gains,” he said. He described it as providing “basic assets,” not basic income, to the public. Hong presented a “jeonse deposit STO” model, saying tokenizing the deposit structure could help ease problems. He said blockchain could transparently record property rights information, while smart contracts could automate contract performance and compensation procedures. “Smart contracts are difficult to manipulate and execute automatically, which can lower the risk of jeonse fraud,” Hong said. “Tenants can reduce deposit risk, and landlords can secure asset liquidity.” He added that combining artificial intelligence for abnormal-transaction detection and risk forecasting could enable a more sophisticated real estate finance system. The National Assembly passed amendments in January to the Electronic Securities Act and the Capital Markets Act to introduce STOs. With the system set to take effect on Feb. 4 next year, detailed rules are being designed. The Financial Services Commission last month held the first meeting of a public-private “token securities consultative body” to discuss operating plans and policy direction. The group is to run on an ongoing basis through four working divisions covering technology and infrastructure, issuance, distribution and settlement.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-04-28 17:37:05