Market

  • Newcomers to Korean stock markets in roller-coaster ride
    Newcomers to Korean stock markets in roller-coaster ride SEOUL, December 03 (AJP) - Newcomers to South Korea’s stock market are drawing increased warnings from the Korea Exchange (KRX), as freshly listed companies swing sharply in price and trading volume. Samyang Biopharm, which debuted on Nov. 24, was designated an investment-warning issue on Tuesday after its shares overheated in early trading. Nota, listed on Nov. 3, received the same label from Nov. 11 to 25 as AI-themed retail buying sent the stock surging before a rapid pul December 3, 2025
  • KOSPI bounces above 4,000 in broad mixed Asia markets
    KOSPI bounces above 4,000 in broad mixed Asia markets SEOUL, December 03 (AJP) - South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI climbed back above the 4,000 level on Wednesday, supported by overnight gains on Wall Street. In Seoul, the KOSPI rose 1.1 percent to 4,039.21 as of 10:08 a.m., recovering the 4,000 mark for the first time in nine sessions. The tech-heavy KOSDAQ added 0.3 percent to 930.74. Among blue chips, Samsung Electronics advanced 1.9 percent to 105,350 won ($71), while SK hynix slipped 0.3 percent to 556,500 won. Except for SK December 3, 2025
  • Asian markets mixed on yen carry trade fears as KOSPI outperforms
    Asian markets mixed on yen carry trade fears as KOSPI outperforms SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - Asian equity markets were mixed on Tuesday as investors weighed the growing risk of a yen carry trade unwind sparked by rising expectations of a Bank of Japan interest rate hike. Korea’s KOSPI stood out as the region’s strongest performer, drawing sizable foreign inflows even as most other Asian benchmarks stalled or slipped. The Korean won strengthened slightly to 1,468.9 per dollar, up 2 won from the previous session, supported by foreign c December 2, 2025
  • Coupang censured by Korean president as founder-chair stays silent
    Coupang censured by Korean president as founder-chair stays silent SEOUL, December 02 (AJP) - Coupang’s management came under heavy fire from lawmakers and direct censure from the Korean president on Tuesday, after the country’s largest-ever data breach — affecting virtually all of its 33.7 million customers — went undetected for nearly five months. Shares in Coupang, listed on the Nasdaq, slid more than 5 percent on the first trading day after the disclosure, paring part of the 28 percent gain built earlier this year. JPM December 2, 2025
  • Asian markets open mixed
    Asian markets open mixed SEOUL, December 2 (AJP) - Asian markets opened mixed on Tuesday, with South Korea's benchmark KOSPI up 1 percent at 3,960.75 and the junior KOSDAQ down 0.8 percent at 915.37. Shares of Samsung Electronics rose 0.8 percent to 101,600 won (US$69), and SK hynix gained 2.7 percent to 552,500 won. Among the top 10 companies in terms of market capitalization, all were trading higher except for LG Energy Solution, which edged down 0.2 percent to 412,000 won. Automakers led the gains December 2, 2025
  • Asian markets mixed as BOJ rate-hike fears hit Tokyo shares
    Asian markets mixed as BOJ rate-hike fears hit Tokyo shares SEOUL, December 01 (AJP) - Asian stock markets closed mixed on Monday, with Japanese shares tumbling on renewed speculation that the Bank of Japan may soon raise interest rates. In Seoul, the benchmark KOSPI slipped 0.2 percent to 3,920.37, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ rose 1.1 percent to 922.38. Institutional investors offloaded a net 233 billion won ($158 million) worth of shares, outweighing net purchases of 53 billion won by retail investors and 216 billion won by foreigners. December 1, 2025
  • Asian markets mixed as China rallies; Korea, Japan slip on policy concerns
    Asian markets mixed as China rallies; Korea, Japan slip on policy concerns SEOUL, December 01 (AJP) - Asian equities were mixed on Monday morning, with declines in South Korea, Japan and Taiwan contrasting with broad gains in China. South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI slipped 0.35 percent to 3,911 as of 10 a.m., pressured by institutional selling. Institutions offloaded 132.1 billion won ($90 million), while foreign investors sold a modest 4 billion won as they monitored market direction. Retail investors bought 162.1 billion won, seeking to take advanta December 1, 2025
  • Retail investors not to blame as NPS drives bigger dollar demand
    Retail investors not to blame as NPS drives bigger dollar demand SEOUL, November 30 (AJP) - Growing attention has been placed on Korean retail investors pouring money into U.S. stocks, with some blaming their buying streak for the recent jump in the exchange rate. New data, however, show that the National Pension Service has been buying far more overseas equities, reinforcing the view that individual investors are not the main driver of the won's weakness. According to Bank of Korea figures released on November 30, overseas equity purchases November 30, 2025
  • Asian markets mostly gain, but Seoul tumbles on foreign sell-off
    Asian markets mostly gain, but Seoul tumbles on foreign sell-off SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - Asian equities ended mostly higher on Friday, with the notable exception of South Korea’s KOSPI, which slumped sharply amid renewed currency volatility and recession concerns. The Korean won weakened to 1,471.8 per dollar, up 8.8 won as of 5 p.m., with traders saying recent verbal intervention by authorities has done little to stabilize the currency. Bond yields eased after an early climb. The three-year government yield, which touched a morning November 28, 2025