Blame game grows as Korean 'ants' get burned in herd trading SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - The blame first fell on the president, who encouraged households to put their money into stocks rather than leveraged housing bets. Then came the financial regulator, criticized for allowing high-risk exchange-traded funds built around South Korea's chip supremacy. The latest to take a seat in Korea’s blame-game musical chairs are so-called finfluencers, the self-styled investment experts whose stock tips, price targets and market predictions fil August 25, 2026

South Korean stock market earns 'Rollerkospi' moniker, WSJ says SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has described Korea's stock market as "the world's craziest stock market," highlighting the sharp swings that have rattled investors in recent months. In an article headlined "The World's Craziest Stock Market Has Turned Into a Fright Ride" published on Tuesday, the U.S. newspaper said South Korea, known for producing "Squid Game" and K-pop, now has a stock market showing levels of volat August 25, 2026

Won retreats as long-end Korean bonds rally ahead of BOK SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - The Korean won weakened Tuesday after seven straight gains, and long-dated government bonds rallied ahead of a policy decision by the Bank of Korea (BOK). The won closed daytime trading at 1,386.1 per dollar, weakening 3.7 won from Monday's 1,382.4. It was the currency's first decline in eight sessions. The won briefly strengthened below 1,380 early in the session before reversing. The dollar firmed, and foreign investors continued to sell Ko August 25, 2026

KOSPI rebounds as chip giants recover, institutions step in SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - South Korean stocks staged a sharp rebound Tuesday as chip heavyweights recovered and institutional buying offset heavy foreign selling. The benchmark KOSPI closed at 6,742.74, up 0.68 percent or 45.78 points from the previous session. The index opened 2.40 percent lower at 6,535.93 and fell as low as 6,408.82 before reversing course. It climbed to an intraday high of 6,747.16 and finished near the day's peak. The rebound was broad, with 647 stocks ad August 25, 2026

LG H&H shares up on Avon exit SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) — Shares of LG Household & Health Care (LG H&H) rose Tuesday as investors approved of its decision to shed loss-making Avon North America and concentrate resources on faster-growing K-beauty brands. LG H&H shares were up 1.4 percent at 320,500 won ($232) as of 2 p.m., outperforming a declining KOSPI. The exit is expected to improve North American earnings by removing an unprofitable operation and freeing marketing and investment resources August 25, 2026

KOSPI extends losses on deepening chip selloff SEOUL, August 25 (AJP) - South Korean stocks fell more than 3 percent Tuesday morning as foreign investors took their cue from an overnight rout in U.S. chip stocks to dump Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. The benchmark KOSPI opened at 6,539.37, down 2.35 percent from Monday's close, and extended its decline to 6,490.65, down 3.08 percent, as of 10:22 a.m. The junior KOSDAQ fell 2.9 percent to 789.48. Selling was broad, with 247 stocks advancing and 610 declining, while 41 w August 25, 2026

H.PIO stock bolstered by stock retire scheme SEOUL, August 24 (AJP) -South Korean health supplement maker H.PIO's shares rose Monday after the company announced plans to cancel all of its treasury shares. Its shares closed 2.64 percent higher at 2,135 won ($1.54) on the KOSDAQ. The KOSDAQ-listed company said its board approved the cancellation of 191,003 common shares, according to a regulatory filing Monday. The cancellation is scheduled for Sept. 11. The cancellation represents about 0.46 percent of its 41.29 millio August 24, 2026

Samsung buyback disappointment pushes KOSPI down 3.1% SEOUL, August 24 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI plunged 3.1 percent Monday as Samsung Electronics' record shareholder-return plan disappointed investors, triggering heavy selling in large-cap technology stocks even as the broader KOSDAQ market rose. The KOSPI shed 215.99 points to 6,696.96. Foreign investors sold a net 3.68 trillion won ($2.66 billion) and institutions sold 1.29 trillion won ($936 million), while individuals bought 3.32 trillion won ($2.40 billion) August 24, 2026

Won hits 11-month high, Korean bonds rally as stocks tumble SEOUL, August 24 (AJP) - The South Korean won strengthened to an 11-month high against the dollar on Monday. Government bonds also rallied as stocks tumbled and foreign investors bought bond futures. The won strengthened 4.1 won from the previous session to close daytime trading at 1,382.4 per dollar, compared with Friday's 1,386.5. The currency briefly strengthened to 1,376.5 during the session and extended its advance for a seventh straight trading day, the longest such str August 24, 2026

Korea's 5-year bond auction split raises demand concerns SEOUL, August 24 (AJP) - South Korea's new five-year government bond auction produced a wide range of accepted yields on Monday, signaling uneven investor pricing and trimming an earlier rally in the local bond market despite a strong headline bid ratio. The Ministry of Economy and Finance said it completed competitive auctions for both a new five-year Korea Treasury Bond and an existing five-year issue on Monday. The 1.5 trillion won ($1.09 billion) pre-issuance tranche of t August 24, 2026