Fed's tightening signal barely dents Asian rally SEOUL, June 18 (AJP) - The U.S. Federal Reserve's signal of joining a global tightening path to contain post-war inflation went largely unnoticed in Asia, where markets remained engrossed in AI fever and the prospect of the Strait of Hormuz reopening. Seoul authorities assessed the Fed's decision as part of a broader shift among major central banks toward tighter monetary policy, following recent rate increases by the European Central Bank and the Bank of Japan. Markets r June 18, 2026

Won, bonds stay quiet as BOJ risk fades, Fed decision looms SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - South Korea’s currency and bond markets remained calm Wednesday as investors looked past the Bank of Japan’s rate hike and shifted their attention to the Federal Reserve’s first policy decision under Chair Kevin Warsh. The won’s market average rate strengthened 5.3 won to 1,514.75 per dollar, showing limited volatility despite Tuesday’s BOJ decision to raise interest rates to 1 percent for the first time in 31 years. Korean gov June 17, 2026

FSS warns against leveraged bets as Samsung, SK hynix ETFs amplify market swings SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) — Leveraged ETFs tied to Samsung Electronics and SK hynix now account for nearly a third of trading in the two stocks, amplifying swings in South Korea's benchmark index and prompting an emergency warning from financial regulators. The Financial Supervisory Service on Wednesday convened investment banks, securities firms, asset managers and market researchers to warn against concentrated bets on a handful of stocks and excessive use of leverage, sayi June 17, 2026

KOSPI extends rally as SK hynix tops 2.5 Million won for first time SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI extended its gains Wednesday as investors rotated into semiconductors, power-cable shares and biotechnology, even as foreign investors turned heavy sellers on the main bourse. The benchmark KOSPI closed up 1.6 percent at 8,864.24, after moving between an intraday high of 8,872.18 and a low of 8,605.66. Foreign investors sold 1 trillion won worth of shares on the main bourse, while institutions bought 581.9 billion won ($384. June 17, 2026

Musk mania survives IPO miss as Koreans pour $800 million on SpaceX debut SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - An Elon Musk-linked stock has once again become a favorite among South Korean retail investors. Despite missing out on SpaceX’s initial public offering, Korean individual investors poured more than $800 million into the company on its Nasdaq debut, making the space company one of the most aggressively bought foreign stocks in Korean market history. According to data compiled from 11 brokerages, including Mirae Asset Securities, Korea Investment & June 17, 2026

Asia markets sideline ahead of Fed decision, Nikkei sole gainer SEOUL, June 17 (AJP) - South Korea's main index took a light breather after a nonstop four-day rally of more than 12 percent as foreign investors turned sellers ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy decision. As of 10:30 a.m., the benchmark KOSPI stood at 8,703.90, down 0.3 percent from the previous session. The index moved between an intraday high of 8,727.58 and a low of 8,605.66. Foreign investors turned sellers after three consecutive sessions of buying, offloa June 17, 2026

Won, bonds stay calm despite BOJ hike; credit spread widens slightly SEOUL, June 16 (AJP) - South Korea’s foreign exchange and bond markets remained largely steady Tuesday despite the Bank of Japan’s first rate hike to 1 percent in 31 years, while corporate credit showed mild signs of caution following default concerns at JoongAng Group affiliates. The won closed at 1,513.5 per dollar, little changed from the previous session. Korean government bond yields fell. The three-year yield dropped 2.7 basis points to 3.717 percent, while the June 16, 2026

Impending peace deal with Iran lifts KOSPI as Nikkei briefly tops 70,000 SEOUL, June 16 (AJP) - South Korean stocks extended their rally on Tuesday as hopes for an impending peace deal between the U.S. and Iran later this week, along with SpaceX’s blockbuster Nasdaq debut, boosted investors’ appetite. Despite missing out on the record-breaking initial public offering (IPO), South Korean investors continued betting on artificial intelligence (AI), aerospace, and other growth sectors. Japan’s main index, meanwhile, briefly crossed the 70, June 16, 2026

BOJ raises rate to 1% for first time in 31 yrs; markets calm SEOUL, June 16 (AJP) - The Bank of Japan raised its policy rate by 25 basis points to 1 percent on Tuesday, pushing Japanese interest rates into the 1 percent range for the first time since 1995 as the country continues its gradual exit from decades of ultra-loose monetary policy amid rising inflationary pressure fueled by Gulf-related energy shocks. Japan, which has maintained near-zero interest rates since the mid-1990s to combat chronic deflation, is now confronting many of the s June 16, 2026

Korea's M2 growth tops 10% under old gauge, fastest in over 4 years SEOUL, June 16 (AJP) -South Korea's money supply growth accelerated in April, with broad money under the previous M2 definition expanding at a double-digit pace for the first time in more than four years, partly explaining the stubbornly weak currency and frenzied asset investment. The Bank of Korea said Tuesday that broad money, or M2, averaged 4,153.9 trillion won ($2.79 trillion) in April on a seasonally adjusted basis, up 25.3 trillion won from the previous month. That tran June 16, 2026