Nikkei storms past 68,000 to record as chip-equipment makers lead AI rotation; Shanghai flat SEOUL, June 03 (AJP) - Japan's Nikkei 225 stormed past 68,000 for the first time in its history on Wednesday, closing up about 2.5 percent at around 68,400, as a fresh leg of the global AI trade reignited by record highs on Wall Street rotated decisively into the semiconductor equipment makers. With South Korea's markets closed for the national election, Tokyo carried the regional session while China's Shanghai Composite finished essentially flat at around 4,077. The det June 3, 2026

KOSPI ekes out gains as rally extends beyond tech giants SEOUL, June 2 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI edged to another record close on Tuesday, finishing slightly higher in a session whose flat headline masked one of the most dramatic shifts of the year. The index closed at around 8,799 points, up 0.1 percent, after having fallen more than 1 percent around midday on oil-price nerves before clawing the entire loss back by the close. Beneath the surface, the top performers that had defined the rally for months gave way. Money June 2, 2026

Grocery delivery app Kurly to acquire AI startup SEOUL, June 2 (AJP) - Grocery delivery app Kurly will acquire Seoul-based artificial intelligence (AI) startup 1Z Labs in a bid to improve efficiency across its business operations, according to industrial sources on Tuesday. Kurly plans to issue around 453,518 new shares by early August in a stock-swap deal that will make the startup its wholly owned subsidiary. The two companies have already been jointly developing AI-related technologies, with plans to expand the use of AI a June 2, 2026

Hana Asset Management's four US index ETFs cross 1 trillion won in combined assets SEOUL, June 2 (AJP) - The combined net assets of Hana Asset Management's four U.S.-index exchange-traded funds have surpassed 1 trillion won, the company said on Tuesday. The fastest growth has come not from its plain index trackers, but from two bond-mixed products designed to take advantage of a 2023 revision to pension-account rules allowing investors to hold them at a full 100 percent allocation. The four funds held a combined 1.0431 trillion won (US$691 million) as of th June 2, 2026

KOSPI retreats after record close as foreign investors sell SEOUL, June 2 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI slipped in morning trade on Tuesday, retreating from the previous day's record close as investors took profits in major stocks. The index dropped to around 8,700 after closing at an all-time high of 8,788.38 the previous session. Shares of LG affiliates, which had led the previous session's rally, came under selling pressure, while a surprise US$80 billion equity raise by Google parent Alphabet prompted investors to rea June 2, 2026

South Korean bond yields surge on hawkish BOK remarks amid lingering Middle East conflict SEOUL, June 1 (AJP) - South Korean government bond yields surged following a double blow of U.S. President Donald Trump's rejection of a draft peace memorandum of understanding with Iran and hawkish remarks from the Bank of Korea (BOK) governor. The local currency, in contrast, erased early losses to close slightly higher as a clearer path toward interest rate hikes cushioned the market. The three-year government bond yield rose 5.9 basis points to 3.790 percent, its highest June 1, 2026

South Korea to launch 24-hour FX trading amid concerns over won stability SEOUL, June 1 (AJP) - As authorities prepare to open South Korea's foreign exchange market full-time on weekdays, expectations are growing that the move could partially ease exchange rate volatility. Experts, however, say longer trading hours alone cannot stabilize the won unless trading volume and global trust in the currency also improve. That came after revisions to the foreign exchange market code of conduct were approved last Friday, paving the way for expanded U.S. dollar& June 1, 2026

KOSPI breaks 8,700 on Samsung-led rally as Nikkei also hits high SEOUL, June 01 (AJP) - South Korea's benchmark KOSPI surged 3.7 percent to close at a record 8,788.38, breaking above the 8,700 level for the first time in its history in a session driven by two simultaneous re-ratings at the heart of the artificial intelligence (AI) trade. Samsung Electronics said it has begun shipping samples of its next-generation HBM4E memory, the industry's first 12-layer high-bandwidth chip and a generational step up in the AI memory hierarchy, June 1, 2026

SK hynix reports no production disruption after minor spark at Cheongju plant SEOUL, June 01 (AJP) - SK Hynix confirms no production disruption after minor pipe spark at Cheongju plant SK Hynix reported zero disruptions to semiconductor production following a minor spark at its Cheongju plant in South Korea, despite the incident triggering the evacuation of 3,600 employees. The company stated that no major injuries occurred during the maintenance work and manufacturing operations remain fully intact. The incident began at 10:32 a.m. on the 1st in a sixth-f June 1, 2026

Samsung Electronics' market cap surpasses 2 quadrillion won SEOUL, June 1 (AJP) - Samsung Electronics on Monday became the first South Korean company to top 2 quadrillion won in market capitalization, driven by surging investor enthusiasm over the ongoing AI-driven chip boom. Shares of the tech giant surged 10.25 percent to 349,500 won as of 1:40 p.m. on the benchmark KOSPI, hitting an intraday high and pushing its market capitalization to 2,041.8 trillion won (US$1.51 trillion). Samsung first crossed the 2 quadrillion won mark at around June 1, 2026