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  Japan and Korean stocks keep up rally SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) - Asian equities were mostly higher on Tuesday, led by sharp gains in Japan and Korea. In Seoul, the KOSPI rose 1.5 percent to close at a fresh high of 4,692.6, helped by gains in autos, energy and industrial shares. In contrast, the tech-heavy KOSDAQ edged down 0.1 percent to finish at 948.9. Among blue-chip stocks, Samsung Electronics edged down 0.7 percent to 137,900 won ($93.5), while SK hynix slid down 1.4 percent to 738,000 won, weighing on the br January 13, 2026
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  Stock-bound cash hits record as KOSPI powers higher SEOUL, Jan. 13 (AJP) - South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI has extended its rally for a third straight week, brushing past the 4,700 level on Wednesday and moving closer to the long-anticipated 5,000 mark, buoyed by a record pile-up of investor cash on the sidelines. According to the Korea Financial Investment Association (KOFIA), investor deposits stood at 88.9 trillion won ($60.4 billion) as of Jan. 9, after briefly topping 92 trillion won a day earlier as retail investors rushe January 13, 2026
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  NH chairman steps down from key posts as top executives resign amid management scandal SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) - The chief of South Korea's state-invested financial group NH stepped down from key posts following mass resignation of C-suite over corruption allegations. Kang Ho-dong, chairman of National Agricultural Cooperative Federation (NH), on Tuesday announced his resignation from concurrent leadership positions at a major farming daily and a charitable foundation, following a government audit that uncovered widespread management malpractice. January 13, 2026
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  Japan's snap election prospects lift Nikkei, boosting Asian markets SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) - Asian stock markets opened higher on Tuesday, led by a surge in Japan's Nikkei 225 amid speculations of a snap election in Tokyo. The vote is expected to strengthen Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's expansionary fiscal policies, boosting investor sentiment across the region. The Japanese index jumped about 3.4 percent to around 53,720 in early morning trade, buoyed by gains in exporters and technology shares. The rally helped lift broader Asian mar January 13, 2026
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  Won edges toward 1,470 on overseas stock craze and strong dollar SEOUL, Jan. 12 (AJP) -South Korea’s won has weakened for eight consecutive sessions to flirt with the 1,470 level, erasing year-end gains made from heavy central bank intervention and stoking concerns for entrenched fragility that can build up inflationary pressures across the economy. The won closed at 1,468.4 against the dollar in Seoul on Monday, down 10.8 won from the previous session. After a volatile day that saw the currency start at 1,461.3 and briefly strengthen t January 12, 2026
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  Red flags rise as leveraged stock investment hits record highs in Korea SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) - As an AI-driven frenzy continues to power record rallies in Seoul and on Wall Street, leveraged stock investment in South Korea has surged to historic highs, amplifying financial vulnerabilities in an economy where household debt already exceeds gross domestic product. The benchmark KOSPI continued to rewrite records this week, climbing 0.84% to 4,624.79 - less than a week after breaking through 4,500. The index has rallied almost uninterrupted since mid- January 12, 2026
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  Asian stocks start week buoyant, led by Seoul and Tokyo SEOUL, January 12 (AJP) — Asian equity markets opened the week on a strong note Monday, with Seoul and Tokyo leading gains as optimism over robotics and artificial intelligence continued to lift technology and industrial value chains across the region following last week’s CES showcase. Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.6 percent to 51,939.9 in early trading, supported by gains in exporters and technology shares amid a weaker yen and renewed optimism over global demand. January 12, 2026
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  Korean retail investors pile into Samsung Electronics, margin trading hits record high SEOUL, January 11 (AJP) — South Korean retail investors are piling into Samsung Electronics, snapping up shares sold by foreign investors amid bullish expectations for a memory-chip upcycle driven by rapid adoption of artificial intelligence infrastructure, pushing leveraged trading to record levels. According to the Korea Exchange, individual investors net bought 2.915 trillion won ($2.0 billion) worth of Samsung Electronics shares last week, the largest weekly net purch January 11, 2026
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  BOK likely to sit tight on rates through H1 amid FX and housing volatility SEOUL, January 09 (AJP) - The Bank of Korea is widely expected to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged in the early months of 2026, as policy room remains constrained by persistent currency weakness, elevated housing prices and uncertainty over the durability of growth driven by an unprecedented chip boom. The central bank will hold its first rate-setting meeting of the year on Jan. 15, launching its annual cycle of eight policy reviews. Since reducing the number of monetary January 9, 2026
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  Asian equities end first full week of 2026 strong as Korean defense stocks surge SEOUL, January 09 (AJP) - Asian equities finished strong on Friday, with South Korean stocks extending gains as defense shares surged on expectations of increased military spending following remarks by Donald Trump. In Seoul, the benchmark KOSPI rose 0.8 percent to close at 4,586.3, supported by sharp rallies in defense-related stocks. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ also finished higher, gaining 0.4 percent to 947.9. Defense stocks led the market after Trump outlined plans to significan January 9, 2026