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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
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  Hot Stock: Hanwha Systems almost hits the ceiling on Trump-era military ambitions SEOUL, January 09 (AJP) - Shares of Hanwha Systems surged close to the daily trading ceiling on Friday, fueled by expectations of a sharp increase in U.S. military spending. The stock jumped as much as 24.7 percent to 75,200 won ($51.7) intraday before paring gains to 74,200 won by 2:30 p.m., far outperforming the benchmark KOSPI, which was up less than 0.5 percent. The rally followed remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who vowed to raise the U.S. defense budget by more than January 9, 2026
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  After a string of EV contract losses, LG Energy Solution reports Q4 loss SEOUL, January 9 (AJP) - LG Energy Solution, having endured multiple headwinds including a labor raid at its U.S. plant and the cancellation of major battery supply contracts, swung to an operating loss in the fourth quarter, even as full-year profit more than doubled on strong data-center-driven demand for energy storage systems. In preliminary earnings released Friday, the South Korean battery maker reported full-year operating profit of 1.35 trillion won ($1.0 bi January 9, 2026
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  Asian stocks mostly in the positive on chip and robotics expectations SEOUL, Jan. 9 (AJP) —Asian stocks kept to the positive despite profit-taking offensive Friday on halo effect from regional chip and robotics strengths. The KOSPI swung back and forth the positive and negative as foreigners took profits. As of11;30, the KOSPI was 0.4 percent higher at 4,571.36 and the KOSDAQ nearly flat at 944.75. Retail investors were net buyers of about 615.1 billion won ($458 million), while institutions bought roughly 277.5 billion won. Foreign invest January 9, 2026
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  Foreign investors' appetite for South Korean stocks recovers SEOUL, Jan. 9 (AJP) - Foreign investors returned to the South Korean stock market, net purchasing over 9 trillion won in December alone, according to data released by the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) on Friday. Foreigners snapped up 1.52 trillion Korean won (US$1 billion) in stocks and 7.89 trillion won in bonds, marking a decisive return after a brief retreat in November last year. The appetite was concentrated on the KOSPI, with net purchases totaling 1.67 trillion won January 9, 2026
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  Tax may be one reason Koreans prefer overseas ETFs over home-based ones SEOUL, January 08 (AJP) - Authorities have blamed overseas securities investment for the stubborn weakness of the Korean won and have rolled out incentives to encourage capital to return home. But for many individual investors, tax treatment remains a decisive reason to stick with foreign exchange-traded funds (ETFs). An investor who generates 30 million won ($20,691) in profits from Korea-listed ETFs within a pension account would take home about 19.1 million won after tax. That January 8, 2026
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  Shipbuilders lift South Korean stocks as Asian markets trade mixed SEOUL, January 08 (AJP) - Asian equities were mixed on Thursday, while South Korean stocks ended marginally higher as a sharp rally in shipbuilding shares offset weakness in technology-heavy stocks. In Seoul, the benchmark KOSPI edged up 0.03 percent to close at 4,552.37, finishing largely flat as gains among shipbuilders countered declines elsewhere. Buying in the sector was driven by rising expectations of large shipbuilding and offshore project orders linked to Canada. The t January 8, 2026
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  KOSPI opens higher, briefly surpasses 4,600 mark SEOUL, January 8 (AJP) – The South Korean stock market opened higher on Thursday, with the benchmark KOSPI surpassing the 4,600 mark for the first time, as major chipmakers extended gains and retail investors poured into large-cap shares. About an hour after the market opened, the KOSPI soared 1.4 percent from the previous session to 4,615.70, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ slipped 0.1 percent to 946.46. Investors showed a clear divergence in early trade as retail investors January 8, 2026