Korea's main stock index jumps 5%, won sharply eases on Iran peace deal SEOUL, June 15 (AJP) -South Korean stocks roared at Monday's opening bell after the United States and Iran agreed to a ceasefire framework and announced plans to sign a permanent agreement later this week to guarantee toll-free passage through the Strait of Hormuz, reigniting a rally in the country's memory chip giants. The benchmark KOSPI surged 5.46 percent to 8,567.05 in early trading, comfortably outpacing the roughly 3 percent gain in Japan's Nikkei 225. Large-ca June 15, 2026

Won, bonds rally on U.S.-Iran peace hopes SEOUL, June 12 (AJP) - The South Korean won and government bonds strengthened sharply Friday as hopes for an end to the U.S.-Iran conflict eased pressure from oil prices, the dollar and foreign equity outflows. The won-dollar exchange rate closed at 1,519.8 won, down 9.1 won from the previous session, in Seoul’s foreign exchange market. The rate opened 10.9 won lower at 1,518.0 won before trimming part of its decline, but still ended in the 1,510-won range. The move came June 12, 2026

KOSPI surges over 4% as foreign buyers return after weeks of selling SEOUL, June 12 (AJP) - The KOSPI closed up 4.63 percent Friday, capping a volatile week with a broad rally as foreign investors returned to Korean stocks after weeks of relentless selling. South Korea's benchmark KOSPI closed up more than four percent on Friday, capping a volatile week with a broad rally as foreign investors returned to the market after weeks of relentless selling. The index gained 359.67 points or 4.63 percent, though it eased from a sharper morning advance June 12, 2026

SpaceX buzz, ceasefire hopes send KOSPI soaring back above 8,000 SEOUL, June 12 (AJP) - The KOSPI once again proved one of the world's most volatile major stock indexes, surging more than 7.6 percent Friday morning as hopes for a Middle East ceasefire and excitement surrounding SpaceX's Nasdaq debut sparked a broad-based rally in technology shares. As of 10:57 a.m., the benchmark KOSPI was up 7.76 percent at 8,366.47 after opening 6.44 percent higher. The index earlier jumped as much as 8.50 percent to 8,424.13. The sharp advance tri June 12, 2026

HOT STOCK: SpaceX suppliers Korea in focus after historic debut SEOUL, June 12 (AJP) - The historic Nasdaq debut of SpaceX has turned investor attention to the Korean companies inside its supply chain, with KOSDAQ-trading HVM and Sphere among the names positioned to benefit as the world's most valuable private space company enters the public market. HVM, which has supplied specialty metals to SpaceX directly since 2023, manufactures the high-strength alloys and titanium used in rockets and spacecraft, one of the few Korean firms with a co June 12, 2026

KOSPI jumps 7 percent at open, lands above 8,300 SEOUL, June 12 (AJP) - The KOSPI lands above 8,300 by leaping over 7 percent at the open Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump again claims a peace deal is close and much-hyped SpaceX IPO winds down. A quarter past the opening at 9:00 a.m. in Seoul, the KOSPI gained 7.78 percent to 8,373.11, more than eclipsing the previous 4.5 percent fall and extending this week's bout of violent swings from 4 to 8 percent. Samsung Electronics rose 10.0 percent to 329,000 won ($217) and June 12, 2026

SpaceX blasts off in $1.8 trillion IPO, likely extend global capital drain through June SEOUL, June 12 (AJP) -Elon Musk's SpaceX blasted off in the world's largest and most spectacular market debut, vacuuming up tens of billions of dollars from investors worldwide and underscoring why Seoul and other Asian markets had been rattled throughout the IPO week. SpaceX on Thursday sold all 555,555,555 shares offered in its initial public offering at $135 apiece, raising $75 billion and valuing the rocket and satellite company at about $1.77 trillion. They go straigh June 12, 2026

KOSPI claws back early rout, but SpaceX liquidity fears keep Korea on fragile ground SEOUL, June 11 (AJP) — After another volatile day — swinging between losses and gains more than 50 times — South Korean shares managed to end higher on Thursday. But with the market's fear gauge touching a record high intraday, the rebound underscored the panic behind foreign capital outflows and aggressive retail bargain hunting. The KOSPI rose 33.13 points, or 0.43 percent, to close at 7,763.95. The index opened 2.86 percent lower at 7,509.62 and b June 11, 2026

FOMO stock bet fuels household loans in Korea in May SEOUL, June 11 (AJP) - Bank loans rose sharply in May as South Koreans frantically borrowed out of the fear of missing out (FOMO) on record stock bull and for housing on expectations for rate hikes, central bank data showed Thursday. Bank household loans increased by 6.9 trillion won ($4.52 billion) in May, widening from a 2.1 trillion won gain in April and exceeding the 5.2 trillion won increase recorded a year earlier, according to the Bank of Korea. The sharpest turnaround cam June 11, 2026

Korea's job decline exposes weakness beneath chip boom SEOUL, June 11 (AJP) - South Korea’s employment rate fell by the steepest pace in five years as weakness in manufacturing and youth hiring exposed the limited spillover from a recovery increasingly driven by memory chip exports. According to data released Thursday by Ministry of Data and Statistics, the employment rate for people aged 15 and older fell 0.5 percentage point to 63.3 percent, marking the sharpest decline since February 2021. The number of employed people a June 11, 2026