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

Korean sovereign bonds emerges as Asia's standout bond trade: MarketAxess SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) — While foreign investors have grown increasingly selective across Asia's bond markets, South Korea has emerged as the region's lone standout, attracting uninterrupted monthly inflows into government debt as global funds bet on the country's semiconductor-driven economy and forthcoming inclusion in one of the world's most influential sovereign bond indexes. "Korea has certainly been an interesting market when we look at Korean Treasu July 15, 2026

KOSPI climbs back above 7,000 as foreign investors snap up semiconductor shares SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) - South Korean stocks led gains across Asia on Wednesday as softer-than-expected U.S. inflation data and ASML's stronger earnings, higher guidance and chipmaking capacity expansion plans fueled broad-based buying, with foreign investors piling into semiconductor shares. The benchmark KOSPI surged 6.24 percent or 427.58 points to close at 7,284.41, rebounding above 7,000 just two days after falling below the level earlier this week. Foreign investors bough July 15, 2026

Lee orders swift measures for single-stock leveraged ETFs amid market volatility SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) - President Lee Jae Myung on Wednesday ordered financial authorities and the Korea Exchange to swiftly draw up measures for leveraged exchange-traded funds (ETFs) linked to Samsung Electronics and SK hynix amid concerns over heightened stock-market volatility. The matter is expected to be discussed Thursday at a meeting of South Korea's four main economic and financial authorities, commonly known as the F4, as regulators consider stronger protection for inve July 15, 2026

Seoul stocks soar as cooling U.S. inflation, chip optimism fuel broad rally SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) — South Korean stocks staged a powerful rebound Wednesday as softer-than-expected U.S. inflation and renewed optimism over the artificial intelligence semiconductor cycle triggered a broad-based buying spree led by SK hynix and Samsung Electronics. As of 9:57 a.m., the benchmark KOSPI surged 6.81 percent to 7,323.60, while the tech-heavy KOSDAQ jumped 5.39 percent to 826.24, recovering sharply after recent market volatility. The rally tracked overnigh July 15, 2026

SK hynix shares rally on bullish Barclays report despite ADR premium SEOUL, July 15 (AJP) -Shares of SK hynix zoomed higher at the opening bell in Seoul on Wednesday, recovering from this week's earnings and valuation-driven selloff after a bullish report from Barclays reignited optimism over the AI memory cycle. As of 9:30 a.m., shares of the Korean chipmaker were up 12 percent at 2,139,000 won, extending an overnight 27.3 percent rally in its Nasdaq-listed American depositary receipts (ADRs) and Tuesday's gain of more than 3 percent in Se July 15, 2026

KOSPI makes modest recovery after sharp plunge, but KOSDAQ stays volatile SEOUL, July 14 (AJP) - South Korean stocks rebounded Tuesday after the previous session's steep selloff, although another sell-side sidecar on the junior KOSDAQ showed continued volatility in the local market. The benchmark KOSPI rose 49.90 points or 0.73 percent to close at 6,856.83. The modest gain followed another volatile session. The index opened 0.56 percent lower at 6,769.06, climbed to an intraday high of 6,979.92 and later fell to 6,448.86 before recovering into the July 14, 2026