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  Asia stocks edge higher; KOSPI back above 5,000 SEOUL, January 23 (AJP) – Asian equities opened higher on Friday, with South Korean stocks leading gains as easing global trade tensions lifted investor sentiment. South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI climbed back above the 5,000 mark in early trading. As of 9:48 a.m. local time, the index was up 1.17 percent at 5,010.28. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ rose 0.82 percent to 978.26. Institutional investors were net buyers of 191.0 billion won ($94 million), while individual investors January 23, 2026
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  Blunt FX language fuels speculation, but steadies the won — for now SEOUL, January 22 (AJP) - Alongside South Korea’s blistering equity rally, the foreign-exchange market has emerged as the economy’s most sensitive fault line, dominating monetary policy briefings and even the president’s New Year’s press conference. From U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s remark that the won’s level is “not in line with Korea’s strong economic fundamentals,” to Bank of Korea Governor Rhee Chang-yong’ January 22, 2026
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  Stocks at record highs, growth at 1%: Korea's market–economy divide widens SEOUL, January 22 (AJP) -Korean stock market pushed deeper into uncharted territory Thursday, with the KOSPI briefly climbing over the 5,000 mark before closing just below the milestone, a historic high unfolding even as economic growth remains stuck near 1 percent, highlighting a widening gap between buoyant asset prices and a fragile real economy. The growth outlook marks the weakest performance since the economy contracted 0.7 percent in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 p January 22, 2026
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  KOSPI hits historic 5,000-point milestone, following Trump's tariff relief SEOUL, January 22 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI crossed the historic milestone of 5,000 points, just minutes after the day's trading began on Thursday. The milestone, which came for the first time since the country's stock market began trading some 70 years ago, was followed by gains on the Wall Street after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would not proceed with previously threatened tariffs on European countries, easing global trade uncertainty. The rally January 22, 2026
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  KOSPI touches landmark 5,000 mark SEOUL, January 22 (AJP) - South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI in its 46-year history has touched the 5,000 mark Thursday from strong retail push. The four-digit milestone was reached just two months after the index broke above 4,000, reflecting accelerating momentum fueled by strong domestic participation. After pausing briefly following a 12-day uninterrupted rally, the KOSPI rebounded as easing geopolitical tensions — triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump’s w January 22, 2026
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  KOSPI closes higher as won strengthens amid mixed Asian markets SEOUL, January 21 (AJP) - Asian stock markets closed mixed on Wednesday as U.S. tariff threats rattled investors, with signs of a broader "sell America" trend adding to volatility across the region. In Seoul, the KOSPI swung more than 100 points before finishing at 4,909.93, up 0.49 percent from the previous session, while the KOSDAQ dropped 2.57 percent to 951.29. Individuals offloaded a net 996.5 billion won ($675 million), while foreign investors and institutions p January 21, 2026
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  Japanese bond yields trigger global tantrum, South Korea most sensitive SEOUL, Jan 21 (AJP) - Major sovereign bond yields, including South Korean treasuries, jumped on Tuesday after a sharp surge in Japanese government bond yields — bringing the elephant in the room back into focus: the massive yen carry trade. The benchmark 10-year JGB yield closed up 7 basis points at 2.34 percent, its highest level in nearly three decades. The move quickly spilled over abroad, pushing the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield up 7.5 basis points to 4.295 percent and Au January 21, 2026
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  Korean won rebounds after president signals KRW–USD range SEOUL, January 21 (AJP) - The Korean won, which briefly revisited the perceived government defense line of 1,480 per dollar before markets opened Wednesday, rebounded sharply after President Lee Jae Myung publicly referred to a specific range for the exchange rate. During a televised New Year’s press conference, Lee addressed the won’s prolonged weakness, noting that the depreciation was not “a uniquely Korean phenomenon” but reflected broader geopoli January 21, 2026
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  KOSPI recovers early losses, buoyed by surge in foreign buying SEOUL, January 21 (AJP) - South Korean stocks reversed early losses Wednesday morning, buoyed by strong foreign buying and a sharp rebound in the won, even as global markets remained cautious amid lingering trade uncertainty from U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff pressures. As of 10:40 a.m., just a few hours into the day's trading, the benchmark KOSPI was up 0.43 percent at 4,907.1, rebounding from an earlier 0.6 percent decline. The KOSPI 200 rose 0.9 percent to 715.3, s January 21, 2026
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  KOSPI catches its breath after two-week rally SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI pulled back on Tuesday, ending its year-opening rally, as selling pressure in major technology and auto shares outweighed gains in select growth and thematic stocks. The index fell 0.4 percent to close at 4,885.8, snapping a 13-session winning streak that included a series of record highs. Despite the pullback, it briefly climbed to an intraday high of 4,935.48, extending its run of fresh peaks before momentum faded in late January 20, 2026