Seoul stocks open lower as Wall Street tumbles on geopolitical uncertainties

South Korean stocks opened lower Wednesday, tracking an overnight slump on Wall Street, as investors expressed concerns US President Donald Trump's push for Greenland may lead to market volatility. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index went down 26.1 points, or 0.53 percent, to 4,859.65 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite sank 2.39 percent, and the S&P 500 shed 2.06 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.76 percent. The setbacks came after Tru

Jan. 21, 2026

Seoul shares take breather to snap 12-session rally

South Korean stocks ended lower Tuesday to snap their 12-day winning streak as investors cashed in gains in major chipmakers and automakers. The local currency fell against the US dollar. After a choppy session, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 18.91 points, or 0.39 percent, to finish at 4,885.75, after touching an all-time intraday high of 4,935.48. The index had been on a steady rise for 12 consecutive sessions through Monday, gaining more than 16 percent. Trade volume was heavy at 6

Jan. 20, 2026

Korean investors pile into US stocks despite weaker won

Korean investors are piling into US stocks despite an unfavorable won-dollar exchange rate, extending a multiyear surge in overseas equity investment. Their holdings of US shares reached $171.8 billion as of the end of last week, up $8.2 billion, or 5 percent, from the end of last year, according to the Korea Securities Depository on Tuesday. In just the first two weeks of trading this year, net purchases totaled $3.1 billion, already exceeding the $1.87 billion recorded in December and snapping

Jan. 20, 2026

Seoul stocks open lower after 12-session rally

South Korean stocks opened lower Tuesday after a 12-session rally backed by gains in technology and auto shares. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index went down 31.35 points, or 0.64 percent, to 4,873.31 in the first 15 minutes of trading. On Monday, the benchmark index closed at 4,904.66, marking its first-ever finish above the 4,900-point level. Most large cap shares ended mixed. Chip giant Samsung Electronics slipped 1.61 percent, and rival SK hynix lost 2.09 percent. Meanwhile, leading batte

Jan. 20, 2026

'Solana is autobahn for money,' says Swiss foundation’s Korea chief

Solana is emerging as a preferred blockchain platform for stablecoin payments and tokenized financial assets, positioning itself as a high-speed, low-cost backbone for next-generation finance, according to Lee Sung-san, Korean chief of the Switzerland-based Solana Foundation. "Solana can be compared to an autobahn where money moves at full speed," Lee said in a recent interview with Herald Business, a sister vernacular of The Korea Herald. "It is optimized for stablecoin transfers, payments, rem

Jan. 19, 2026

Kospi tops another milestone of 4,900 points

South Korean stocks hit another intraday record high Monday afternoon, briefly topping another historic level above 4,900 points, led by gains in auto and tech shares. After opening lower, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index turned bullish and surpassed the 4,900-point mark by 1:57 p.m. It marked the 12th consecutive day of gains since the start of the year, with the index reaching fresh highs each trading day. (Yonhap)

Jan. 19, 2026

Seoul stocks open tad higher, building on 11-day rally

South Korean stocks opened slightly higher Monday, putting the benchmark index on track for a 12th consecutive session of gains. After opening lower, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 6.95 points, or 0.14 percent, to 4,847.69 in the first 15 minutes of trading. On Friday, the index closed at a record high of 4,840.74 points, extending its rally to an 11th straight session on strong buying momentum in semiconductor shares. On Monday, transportation equipment, metals and securities stocks

Jan. 19, 2026

Banks join authorities to stem currency weakness

South Korea's major commercial banks are stepping up efforts, alongside government foreign exchange authorities, to curb the local currency's recent weakness, offering incentives for customers to sell US dollars and lowering interest rates on foreign-currency deposits, officials said Sunday. The won has hovered near the closely watched 1,450 won level against the US dollar recently despite authorities' verbal intervention and policy measures, pressured by broad dollar strength, geopolitical risk

Jan. 18, 2026

Seoul shares again close at record high, extending rally to 11th session; won declines

Seoul shares again close at record high, extending rally to South Korean stocks ended at a fresh record high above 4,800 points Friday, extending their rally to an 11th consecutive session amid continued buying momentum in semiconductor shares. The local currency fell against the U.S. dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 43.19 points, or 0.9 percent, to finish at a record 4,840.74. Before closing, the index touched an intraday record of 4,863.82 at 3:22 p.m. It marked the

Jan. 16, 2026

Kospi hits new high as market value tops W4,000tr

South Korea’s benchmark Kospi climbed to a fresh all-time high Friday, breaking past the 4,800 level for the first time, as the market’s total capitalization also topped 4,000 trillion won ($2.7 trillion). The Kospi closed at 4,840.74, gaining 43.19 points, or 0.9 percent, from the previous session. During intraday trading, the index surged as high as 4,855.61. It was the first time the Kospi hit above the 4,800 threshold in both intraday trading and closing. With the rally, the index’s combined

Jan. 16, 2026

Seoul stocks open at fresh high of over 4,800 as rally enters 11th day

Korean stocks opened at a record high Friday, with the benchmark index rising above 4,800 points for the first time as it enters the 11th straight session of gains. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 9.81 points, or 0.2 percent, to 4,807.36 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The index started at 4,820.66, piercing the 4,800-point threshold for the first time in its history, but trimmed earlier gains. The South Korean stock market has been on a bullish run, reaching fresh high

Jan. 16, 2026

Seoul shares end at new record high, inch away from 4,800; won rebounds

South Korean stocks continued their blistering bull run Thursday to set a new all-time high, just an inch away from the uncharted territory of 4,800, on strong chip and auto gains. The local currency rose sharply against the US dollar on a verbal intervention from Washington. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 74.45 points, or 1.58 percent, to finish at a record 4,797.55. It marked the 10th consecutive day of gains since the beginning of the year. Trade volume was heavy at 540

Jan. 15, 2026

Korea weighs capital-flow measures as won slide persists

South Korean authorities said Thursday they are weighing macroprudential measures to manage capital flows, as persistent volatility in the foreign exchange market fuels concerns that a prolonged slide in the won could threaten financial stability. “Viewed against Korea’s macroeconomic conditions, the current level of the exchange rate is not fully appropriate,” said Choi Ji-young, vice minister for international finance at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, during a press briefing Thursday. “I

Jan. 15, 2026

Seoul shares open higher following extended bull run

South Korean stocks started higher Thursday after the benchmark index set a fresh record high the previous session. Opening 0.27 percent lower, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 21.54 points, or 0.46 percent, to 4,744.64 in the first 15 minutes of trading. A day earlier, the index rose 0.65 percent to close at an all-time high of 4,723.10. Overnight, the US stock market fell on a drop in technology and financial shares. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.1 percent, and t

Jan. 15, 2026

Seoul shares rise for 9th day at fresh record close of above 4,700; won further slips

South Korean stocks extended their winning streak to a ninth session Wednesday, closing above the 4,700-point mark for the first time, on strong gains in tech and auto shares. The Korean won fell sharply against the US dollar. After choppy trading, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 30.46 points, or 0.65 percent, to finish at 4,723.1, marking the ninth consecutive day it's risen since the beginning of the year. The index swung between positive and negative terrains in the morni

Jan. 14, 2026