KOSPI avoids Asian rout on foreign buying SEOUL, July 20 (AJP) -South Korea's main stock market, home to Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, received a marginal hit Monday as it returned from a holiday, after a broad AI-led selloff Friday across global markets after Chinese startup Moonshot AI unveiled its open-source Kimi K3 model, a release many investors likened to a new "DeepSeek moment." Returning from a one-day holiday on Friday for Constitution Day, Seoul's market opened less panicky than regional July 20, 2026

Small-, mid-cap stocks outperform as chip rout weighs on Korea's blue chips SEOUL, July 18 (AJP) - South Korea's small- and mid-cap stocks outperformed large caps this month as a sharp selloff in semiconductor shares weighed on the broader market and prompted retail investors to rotate into theme stocks and defensive sectors. The KOSPI large-cap index fell 20.6 percent between July 1 and July 16, underperforming the benchmark KOSPI's 19.5 percent decline over the same period, according to Korea Exchange data. The KOSPI mid-cap index lost 6.2 July 18, 2026

Authorities halt new single-stock leveraged products amid chip-driven market volatility SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - South Korea will temporarily halt new listings of single-stock leveraged products and ban advertising for existing ones, tightening regulations after their rapid growth raised concerns that they could amplify market swings in the country's semiconductor-heavy stock market. The minimum deposit required to trade domestic and overseas single-stock leveraged products will be tripled to 30 million South Korean won from 10 million won, with investors required to July 16, 2026

FSS chief warns of greater market volatility after BOK's rate hike SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) chief Lee Chan-jin on Thursday warned that market volatility could intensify after the Bank of Korea (BOK) raised its benchmark interest rate. It also called for financial institutions to strengthen their preparedness against potential risks. The warning followed the central bank's decision to raise its benchmark rate by 25 basis points earlier in the day, a move Lee said was largely in line with market expectations. July 16, 2026

BOK's rate hike sends KOSPI down 6% SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - South Korean stocks led declines across Asia on Thursday after the Bank of Korea (BOK) raised its benchmark interest rate, while renewed selling in semiconductor shares deepened losses across the region. The benchmark KOSPI fell 6.37 percent or 463.81 points to close at 6,820.60, giving up the previous day's gains and slipping back below the 7,000 mark. The BOK raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 2.75 percent, its first rate increas July 16, 2026

KOSDAQ-listed battery materials maker seeks Nasdaq debut through SPAC merger SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - South Korean battery materials maker Enchem on Thursday unveiled its plans to list its U.S. affiliate on Nasdaq through a merger, aiming to tap U.S. capital markets for its North American expansion. The announcement of the plan sent its shares up 17.99 percent to 25,250 won, after the KOSDAQ-listed stock climbed as high as 26,900 won earlier in the day. Under the plan, its U.S. affiliate Enchem America will merge with TLGY Acquisition Corp., a Nasdaq-listed July 16, 2026

KOSDAQ-listed biotech Alteogen slides amid rival technology concerns SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - Shares of South Korean biotech company Alteogen have fallen sharply this week after Samsung Bioepis filed a patent application for a similar drug-delivery technology. The move raised concerns that Samsung Bioepis could challenge Alteogen with a competing technology that converts intravenous drugs into subcutaneous injections. Both companies, however, dismissed the concerns, saying the market reaction was excessive and the technologies are not direct competi July 16, 2026

Rate gap with US narrows to lowest level as BOK signals more hikes SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - The gap between South Korea and U.S. interest rates narrowed to 1 percentage point, the smallest since February 2023, after the Bank of Korea (BOK) on Thursday raised its benchmark rate by 0.25 percentage point to 2.75 percent. The central bank also indicated that further rate hikes may be needed to control inflation and manage financial risks. The rate gap could narrow further if the BOK continues tightening while the Federal Reserve holds rates steady, altho July 16, 2026

KOSPI slips below 7,000 again as Morgan Stanley sparks chip sell-off SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - South Korean stocks swung sharply lower shortly after the market opened on Thursday, giving up much of the previous session's explosive gains as investors cashed in on the rally following another overnight sell-off in U.S. semiconductor shares. Fresh concerns over artificial intelligence (AI)-related infrastructure spending, sparked by a cautious report from U.S. investment bank Morgan Stanley, added to the pressure on technology stocks. Investor sentiment July 16, 2026

BOK delivers its first hike since January 2023 SEOUL, July 16 (AJP) - As widely expected, the Bank of Korea (BOK) on Thursday bumped up its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 2.75 percent for the first time in three and a half years to contain imported price pressure and feverish leveraged investment. A combination of factors shifted the central bank toward a tightening bias after it had kept the policy rate unchanged since cutting it to 2.50 percent in May last year. Consumer prices rose 3.2 percent from a year ea July 16, 2026