[THE INVESTOR] KOSDAQ closed lower at 685.44, down 0.44 points(0.06%) on Oct. 5. 　

[THE INVESTOR] South Korean banks’ net income from their branches abroad fell more than 17 percent in the first half of this year, government data showed on Oct. 5.Local banks had a total of 173 branches in 39 foreign countries as of end-June, according to the Financial Supervisory Service. Most of the overseas operations were concentrated in Asia, accounting for 66.5 percent of the total, followed by 12.7 percent in Europe and North America, respectively.Their combined assets came to US$88.86 b

[THE INVESTOR] The International Monetary Fund kept South Korea’s economic growth forecast for this year and next year unchanged in its latest quarterly economic outlook, the Finance Ministry said on Oct. 4.The agency earlier anticipated that the economy will expand 2.7 percent in 2016 and 3 percent in 2017, and it held the rates steady in its latest World Economic Outlook released globally.It is slightly lower than the South Korean government’s growth target of 2.8 percent.In its earlier report

[THE INVESTOR] KOSPI opened lower  at 2,043.37, down 11.49 points(0.56%) on Oct. 5. 　

[THE INVESTOR] KOSDAQ opened higher at 686.03, up 0.15 points(0.02%) on Oct. 5. 　

[THE INVESTOR] Global sales of vehicles produced in South Korea shrank in September from a year earlier as domestic sales of the two largest carmakers here suffered huge setbacks due to reduced outputs caused by labor strikes, the companies’ data showed on Oct. 4.Last month, the combined sales of five automakers here came to 693,529, down 2.1 percent from the 708,524 sold globally in the same month last year.The five automakers are Hyundai Motor, Kia Motors, GM Korea, Renault Samsung Motors and

[THE INVESTOR] KOSDAQ closed higher at 685.88, up 4.67 points(0.69%) on Oct. 4.

[THE INVESTOR] KOSPI closed higher at 2,054.86, up 11.23 points(0.65%) on Oct. 4. 　

[THE INVESTOR] Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors saw their combined sales in the United States rise slightly in September, industry data showed on Oct. 3.The two South Korean auto giants sold a combined 115,830 units in the US last month, up 1.7 percent from 113,835 units sold in the same period last year, the data showed.  Hyundai, Kia vehicles are parked at a port to be shipped.Hyundai’s sales rose 4 percent to 66,610 units, which marks the best September ever.“Strong performances by our Santa Fe a

[THE INVESTOR] A South Korean court may push for the “package sale” of STX Offshore & Shipbuilding and its two affiliates, according to industry sources on Oct. 4.STX filed for court receivership in May, succumbing to mounting debts attributable to mismanagement and an industry-wide slump.The Seoul Central District Court is waiting for the stakeholders of STX to decide on a revival plan, leaving the possibility of the simultaneous sale of the shipyard and its two troubled affiliates, Goseong Off

[THE INVESTOR] South Korea’s current account surplus hit a four-month low in August, central bank data showed on Oct. 4.The current account surplus reached US$5.51 billion in August, compared with $8.67 billion in July, according to the preliminary data from the Bank of Korea.The August figure represents a drop from an US$8.54 billion surplus from a year earlier and also marks the lowest in four months. The current account is the biggest measure of cross-border trade.In August, the size of the s

[THE INVESTOR] KOSPI opened higher at 2,056.94, up 13.31 points(0.65%) on Oct. 4. 　

[THE INVESTOR] KOSDAQ opened higher at 682.32, up 1.11 points(0.16%) on Oct. 4. 　

[THE INVESTOR] KOSPI closed lower at 2,043.63, down 25.09 points (1.21%) on Sept. 30.

[THE INVESTOR] KOSDAQ closed lower at 681.21, down 18.62 points (1.25%) on Sept. 30.

[THE INVESTOR] South Korea’s financial regulatory body said on Sept. 30 it will soon decide whether to issue a permit for the nation’s first online-only bank.Two consortiums, one led by KT and the other by Kakao, are preparing to enter the banking sector with their technical expertise.KT’s consortium submitted an application earlier in the day for the government’s approval for the establishment of K-Bank, the Financial Services Commission said.The envisioned internet bank will be capitalized at

[THE INVESTOR] KOSDAQ opened lower at 688.49, down 1.34 points (0.19%) on Sept. 30.

[THE INVESTOR] KOSPI opened lower at 2,054.25, down 14.47  points (0.70%) on Sept. 30.

[THE INVESTOR] KOSDAQ closed higher at 689.83, up 3.07 points (0.45%) on Sept. 29.

[THE INVESTOR] KOSPI closed higher at 2,068.72, up 15.66  points (0.76%) on Sept. 29.