The Korea Exchange's newly launched after-hours market has seen high levels of volatility in its first week, amid relatively thin liquidity and a high concentration of retail investors. According to the KRX, an average of 54.85 million shares, worth 1.1 trillion won ($811 million), changed hands each day in during the 4-8 p.m. after-hours market from Sept. 14 to Friday, accounting for 4.6 percent of total market trading value. During the period, a total of 5,354 volatility interruptions — measur

South Korean stocks opened sharply higher Tuesday, led by gains in tech heavyweights, following a record close for the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite amid revived hopes for artificial intelligence and a fall in global oil prices and bond yields. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index was up 141.58 points, or 2.02 percent, to 7,149.3 as of 9:15 a.m. On Monday, US stocks rallied, with the Nasdaq Composite rising 2.3 percent. The S&P 500 gained 1.5 percent, while the Dow Jones Industrial Aver

Seoul stocks rose Monday as investors scooped up semiconductor shares, offsetting concerns over renewed tensions in the Middle East and elevated oil prices. The Korean won strengthened against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index gained 113.49 points, or 1.65 percent, at 7,007.72. The index extended its winning streak for the third consecutive session, buoyed by improving investor sentiment toward artificial intelligence and semiconductor stocks. Still, elevated crude o

Seoul stocks opened higher Monday, led by gains in tech heavyweights, though elevated oil prices and lingering tensions in the Middle East kept investors cautious. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index was up 64.09 points, or 0.93 percent, to 6,958.32 as of 9:15 a.m. Overnight, stocks on Wall Street closed higher as investor sentiment improved on falling oil prices and easing pressures from On Friday, Seoul stocks advanced 2.66 percent as easing inflation concerns lifted investor senti

The Financial Supervisory Service is stepping up efforts to curb a rise in debt-financed investing, calling for stronger consumer protection measures at brokerage firms. The measures include restricting trading on credit by minors and requiring elderly investors to go through additional confirmation procedures. The FSS announced the plans Thursday at a public briefing on its financial consumer protection efforts held at its headquarters in Yeouido, Seoul. Lee Se-hoon, a senior deputy governor at

Seoul stocks advanced by more than 2 percent Friday on eased inflation woes. The local currency rose against the greenback. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index closed up 178.82 points, or 2.66 percent, at 6,894.23. Trade volume was moderate at 321.35 million shares worth 25.56 trillion won ($18.5 billion). Losers outnumbered winners 463 to 407. "The KOSPI has brushed off macro concerns, while foreigners returned to the local market, powered by artificial intelligence momentum," Lee K

Foreign investors were net buyers of Korean stocks in August for the first time this year, snapping a seven-month selling streak, though the level remained modest after heavy selloffs in previous months. Overseas investors bought a net 344 billion won ($248.4 million) worth of locally listed shares last month, according to data released Friday by the Financial Supervisory Service. It marked their first monthly net purchase since December. The turnaround followed particularly heavy selling in rec

Seoul stocks opened sharply higher Friday, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street as falling oil prices and the Federal Reserve's rate hike eased inflation woes. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index was up 150.53 points, or 2.24 percent, to 6,865.94 as of 9:15 a.m. Overnight, stocks on Wall Street closed higher as investor sentiment improved on falling oil prices and easing pressures from the US bond market. The S&P 500 added 1.14 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq strengthened 1.69 p

Seoul stocks closed almost flat Thursday, paring earlier gains, as investors digest the Federal Reserve's first rate hike in over three years. The Korean won fell against the US dollar. After opening higher, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index closed down 2.56 points, or 0.04 percent, to 6,715.41. The index continued choppy trading throughout the day as investors sat on the sidelines after the Fed decided to raise the country's base rate by a quarter of a percentage point. "But the i

Global leveraged exchange-traded fund managers are stepping up their push into South Korea, drawn by retail investors whose appetite for high-risk US-listed products has made them a significant source of assets. Russell Tencer, president of Tradr ETFs, visited Seoul on Thursday to meet Korean investors and promote the firm’s lineup. His trip marked the second visit by a foreign manager specializing in leveraged ETFs since Korea allowed single-stock leveraged funds to begin trading in late May. T

Seoul stocks opened higher Thursday, led by gains in tech stocks, despite the Federal Reserve's first rate hike in over three years. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index was up 6.49 points, or 0.1 percent, to 6,724.46, as of 9:14 a.m. Overnight, major stock indexes on Wall Street closed down after the Fed delivered the first quarter-percentage point rate increase since 2023 to combat inflationary pressures. The Fed raised its base rate by a quarter percentage point to a range of 3.75

Justice Minister nominee Rep. Kim Seung-won is facing scrutiny over his ties to Genencell, a biotech company whose COVID-19 treatment claims were factors in a Financial Supervisory Service investigation into alleged stock-price manipulation. Kim is accused of passing on a request to drug authorities to approve clinical trials for a Genencell drug in October 2021. It is also alleged that the subsequent approval was used in stock price manipulation. An FSS report obtained by lawmakers yesterday su

Volatility jumped and price control mechanisms were activated at a much higher level on the first day of after-hours trading on the Korea Exchange (KRX), according to the bourse operator Tuesday. The KRX launched the after-hours trading from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday as it seeks to raise global competitiveness and expand trading opportunities for investors. A total of 72.24 million shares worth 1.8 trillion won (US$1.3 billion) were traded during the four-hour session, compared with some 905 milli

Seoul stocks closed lower for the fourth consecutive session Tuesday, as investors digest macro uncertainties, and the latest calls from artificial intelligence leaders that the industry should slow down the pace of development. The Korean won slid against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 57.11 points, or 0.85 percent, to 6,627.26. Trade volume was light at 274 million shares worth 16.2 trillion won ($11.9 billion). Losers outnumbered winners 621 to 253. Retail

South Korea's stock market rally has stalled as chip stocks lose ground, wiping more than 200 trillion won ($147 billion) off its combined market capitalization over the past month. The benchmark Kospi's market capitalization stood at 5,464.31 trillion won, while the Kosdaq's totaled 455.08 trillion won at Tuesday's close, bringing the combined market capitalization of the two markets to 5,922.87 trillion won. The figure represents a decline of over 200 trillion won from 6,234 trillion won on Au