Korea Economic Daily

US Says It Seized Iranian Vessel Trying to Transit Hormuz Iran Denounces Move, Signals Drone Retaliation Sides Remain Split on Hormuz Control and Uranium Enrichment US-Iran ceasefire talks have hit a fresh obstacle. Iran remains determined to preserv

Jointly developed with startup Buchigo iM Financial Group said on April 20 that it had completed a proof of concept for a blockchain-based prepaid payment service. The service was jointly developed with Buchigo, a startup housed at iM Bank’s fintech

US Turns Up Pressure on Iran Iran Says Strait of Hormuz Control Law Will Be Enforced Soon Tensions between the US and Iran escalated on April 19, two days before a two-week ceasefire was set to end, as the two sides traded actions including the seizu

South Korea’s Kospi climbed above the mid-6,200 level on April 20, supported by institutional buying. Foreign investors also added to the advance through purchases of stock-index futures. As of 10:36 a.m., the Kospi was up 75.53 points, or 1.22%, at

The surge in US prices triggered by the Israel-Iran war is set to keep weighing on consumers even after the fighting ends, the Financial Times reported. The FT said on April 19 that the US consumer price index rose 3.3% in March, the biggest increase

Shin Yong-hyun, Hankyung.com reporter, yonghyun@hankyung.com

South Korea’s Kospi fluctuated in a narrow range on April 20 as investors stayed on the sidelines ahead of a second round of talks aimed at ending the war in the Middle East. As of 9:04 a.m., the Kospi was up 6.41 points, or 0.10%, at 6,198.33. The i

International oil prices jumped sharply as military tensions in the Strait of Hormuz flared again ahead of a truce deadline tied to U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations. New York stock-index futures, meanwhile, moved lower. As of 8:30 a.m. in Korea on Apri

The Kospi traded lower, taking a breather after a steep three-day rally that lifted it above the 6,200 level on hopes of an end to the war between the US and Iran. As of 9:04 a.m. on July 17, the benchmark index was down 22.76 points, or 0.37%, at 6,

Iran and other Middle Eastern countries welcomed Israel and Lebanon's agreement to a 10-day ceasefire. Esmaeil Baghaei, a spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, said in remarks carried by state media on June 16 that Tehran welcomed the truce and desc

Samsung Electronics Co. and SK Hynix Inc. should be worth more than $2.4 trillion combined, KB Securities said, arguing that South Korea’s two biggest chipmakers are trading at an excessive discount. The brokerage estimates the two companies will pos

S&P 500, Nasdaq extend intraday record streak Hopes for US-Iran talks, Israel-Lebanon ceasefire support sentiment Won and oil prices, however, are surging South Korean stocks look set to hold onto their gains on June 17 amid expectations that a secon

US President Donald Trump said on June 16 that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a formal 10-day ceasefire starting at 5 p.m. Eastern Time, or 6 a.m. in South Korea on June 17. With the US-Iran ceasefire set to end on June 21, markets are watching whe

Department-store stocks in South Korea rose sharply on June 16 as investors bet a surge in foreign tourists will lift earnings. Analysts expect the momentum to extend into next year, keeping optimism around the sector intact. According to the Korea E

AI5 Enters Prototype Production as Shares Jump 8% Tesla said June 15 that it had completed the design of its in-house artificial intelligence chip, AI5. Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk wrote on X that the AI5 design team had entered the tape-out st

Hopes for a second round of U.S.-Iran talks lift stocks as optimism over an end to the war grows; S&P 500 closes above 7,000 for the first time Nasdaq also tops 24,000 for a record high Solid U.S. consumer spending fuels earnings optimism Kospi rises

$572 million sold so far this year Demand for yuan-denominated bonds remains strong Shinhan Card weighs $48 million sale Alternative as won-bond funding costs rise South Korea’s kimchi bond market — foreign-currency debt sold domestically by local co

SoftBank Group has sold $3.6 billion of junk bonds to fund aggressive investments in artificial intelligence, Bloomberg News reported on May 15, citing people familiar with the matter. SoftBank issued $1.5 billion of dollar-denominated bonds and 1.75

Shin Hyun-song, the nominee for Bank of Korea governor, has submitted all documents requested over questions tied to his daughter’s nationality. The National Assembly’s Strategy and Finance Committee could adopt its confirmation hearing report as ear

China makes more than 80% of solar panel components Tesla’s $2.9 billion purchase could be hit Could open a door for Korean energy companies China is considering restricting exports of solar manufacturing equipment to the US, a move aimed at checking

Samsung to Hold Equipment Move-In Ceremony at Texas Taylor Fab Next Week Samsung Electronics has completed preparations to start operations at its foundry plant in Taylor, Texas, a key base for its North American expansion. The milestone comes three

The Kospi extended its rally on growing optimism over an end to the fighting and fresh record highs on Wall Street. The benchmark rose above 6,200 during the session, fueling expectations that it could retest its all-time high. As of 2:40 p.m. on Jun

Stocks rise on strong earnings despite Middle East risks AI spending and resilient consumers support the US economy Oil holds steady as ceasefire optimism offsets supply concerns Fed Beige Book says Iran war is delaying corporate decisions U.S. stock

IMF Publishes Fiscal Monitor Report The International Monetary Fund warned that South Korea’s government debt ratio will rise rapidly. According to the IMF and South Korea’s budget authorities on April 15, the IMF said in its latest Fiscal Monitor re

First time in 33 trading days since the Iran conflict began Signs of progress in US-Iran ceasefire talks Optimism over an end to the war lifts sentiment South Korea’s Kospi climbed above 6,200 intraday on April 16 for the first time since the Iran co

US, Hamas Hold Face-to-Face Talks Sides Still Split Over Ceasefire Terms The US and Hamas have held their first direct face-to-face meeting since the Gaza ceasefire took effect, seeking to restart stalled truce talks. CNN reported the meeting on Marc

U.S. Central Command released a video on June 15 warning that it would use force against ships that fail to comply with a maritime blockade of Iran. The 26-second video, posted on X the same day, says the US has formally declared a blockade of ports

Optimism over US-Iran ceasefire talks is raising expectations that the Kospi can extend its rally. Market strategists say the positive momentum may continue for now. According to the Korea Exchange, the Kospi closed at 6,091.39 on July 15, up 2.07% f