By Steve Brice As we start 2023, investors’ scars from last year’s sell-off across publicly traded markets are still very raw. Against this backdrop, the theme of our 2023 Outlook, Playing it SAFE, should resonate with investors. We believe sequencing your investments is going to be important in the coming year: Bonds are a good place to start, given some of the highest yields offered in a decade and our expectation that a recession is likely in the US and Europe in the first half of

Seoul stocks surged over 1 percent Thursday, as foreign investors scooped up market heavyweights in the run-up to the corporate earnings season. The Korean won advanced against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index climbed 40.08 points, or 1.65 percent, to 2,468.65. Trading volume was moderate at 476.2 million shares worth 8.1 trillion won ($6.58 billion), with gainers outpacing decliners 620 to 249. Foreigners and institutional investors were net buyers at a combined 1.

Seoul stocks opened slightly higher Thursday as investors brace for earnings reports from major companies. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 7.26 points, or 0.3 percent, to 2,435.83 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The local stock market opened higher despite lackluster trading on Wall Street overnight. The S&P 500 inched down 0.02 percent, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.03 percent. The tech-heavy Nasdaq closed 0.18 percent lower than the previous ses

South Korea's inflation expectations inched up in January from a month earlier amid the Bank of Korea's continued monetary tightening to bring price growth under control, a central bank survey showed Thursday. Ordinary people predicted that consumer prices will grow 3.9 percent over the next one year, up 0.1 percentage point from what was surveyed the previous month, according to the poll conducted by the BOK early this month. It was the first on-month rise since November 2022. The fig

Seoul stocks closed more than 1 percent higher Wednesday on tech gains, as investors were hopeful that the US Federal Reserve could ease the pace of rate increases. The Korean won rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index climbed 33.31 points, or 1.39 percent, to 2.428.57. Trading volume was moderate at 539.8 million shares worth 6.57 trillion won ($5.4 billion), with gainers outnumbering decliners 526 to 325. Institutional and foreign investors were net buyers

A tough road ahead for the seasoned investor as global economy contracts and resistance persists against the pension fund's enforcement of shareholder rights

Mirae Asset Global Investments has gobbled up nearly half of target-date fund market share, recording 3.5 trillion won ($2.84 billion) under management as of the end of 2022. TDF refers to an investment scheme where a portfolio’s asset allocation mix automatically rebalances throughout an account holder’s lifecycle to make it less prone to volatility as the target date draws near. Analysts attributed Mirae Asset's top position to the group's chairman, Park Hyun-joo, who has

Private equity funds Unison Capital Korea and MBK Partners have joined hands to take over Osstem Implant, the nation’s largest dental manufacturer, according to the companies on Wednesday. Osstem Implant announced that UCK and MBK Partners will go for a tender offer through special purpose company Dentistry Investment, buying off a sizeable stake in the company for the next month at 190,000 won ($154) per share, up almost 17 percent from 162,500 won from the previous trading day. UCK is a

Seoul stocks got off to a strong start Wednesday as investors bet the US Federal Reserve will go easy on its aggressive monetary tightening. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 28.09 points, or 1.17 percent, to 2423.35 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Major indexes on Wall Street closed mixed overnight, while chipmakers, such as AMD and Qualcomm, sharply rose on hope for better business performance down the road. Investors are also keeping a close watch on the Fed's nex

The Seoul city government will additionally consider raising its subway and city bus fares by 400 won ($0.32), besides its earlier 300-won hike proposal, city officials said Wednesday. The municipal government plans to hold a public hearing next month with the goal of raising public transportation fares in April after a freeze for eight years. It will prepare two fare hike proposals -- 300 won or 400 won -- to listen to the opinions of various public hearing participants, including experts, city

South Korea's exports fell 2.7 percent on-year in the first 20 days of January, data showed Saturday, due mainly to weak semiconductor shipments. The country's outbound shipments stood at US$33.6 billion in the Jan. 1-20 period, compared with $34.5 billion a year earlier, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service. Imports rose 9.3 percent on-year to $43.8 billion during the cited period, resulting in a trade deficit of $10.2 billion. Outbound shipments of chips, a mainstay e

The Korean government will make a fresh attempt to get its sovereign bond to be included in the top grade of global market indices, the country’s top economic policymaker told global investors Friday. Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho revamped local financial rules to adhere to “global standards” so that Asia’s fourth-largest economy could attract more foreign investors. “Starting this year, we will reform the Korean capital market in a way that is foreign investor-f