Seoul, July 13 (IANS) South Korea’s exports jumped 53.9 per cent from a year earlier in the first 10 days of July, data showed on Monday, on the back of strong outbound shipments of semiconductor products.Outbound shipments reached US$29.8 billion in the July 1-10 period, compared with $19.3 billion tallied in the same period last year, according to the data from the Korea Customs Service, reports Yonhap news agency.It marked the highest figure for any 10-day period compiled by the customs agenc…
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Seoul, July 8 (IANS) South Korea posted an all-time high current account surplus in May on robust exports of semiconductors, central bank data showed on Wednesday.The current account surplus totalled $38.61 billion in May, up from $28.29 billion the previous month, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).It marked the largest monthly current account surplus ever, renewing the previous record of $37.93 billion set in March, reports Yonhap news agency.Compared with the same month a year…
Seoul, July 7 (IANS) South Korea will revise items included in the consumer price index basket in a regular reshuffle, reflecting the latest trends by adding subscriptions and smartwatch-related costs, with details set to be announced in December, the statistics agency said on Tuesday.The Ministry of Data and Statistics said it will carry out the restructuring of items included in the consumer price survey, with the latest round of adjustments focusing on reflecting consumers’ spending patterns …
Seoul, July 5 (IANS) The South Korean won has fallen nearly 6 per cent against the US dollar this year, central bank data showed on Sunday, as foreign investors sold off more than 156 trillion won ($102.3 billion) worth of domestic stocks.The average exchange rate stood at 1,484.56 won per dollar during the first half of the year, according to the Bank of Korea’s Economic Statistics System.It marked the second-highest first-half average on record, behind 1,493.08 won in the first half of 1998 du…
Seoul, June 25 (IANS) South Korea’s business sentiment worsened for the first time in three months in June on sluggish construction and travel sectors, a central bank survey showed on Thursday.The Composite Business Sentiment Index (CBSI) for all industries stood at 97.7 in June, down 1.2 points from a 3 1/2-year high of 98.9 in May, according to data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).It marked the first on-month decline since March, reports Yonhap news agency.The index measures corporate outlooks on…
Seoul, June 19 (IANS) Seoul stocks traded sharply higher on Friday, buoyed by chips and other tech heavyweights, after topping the historic 9,000 landmark the previous session.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 200.67 points, or 2.21 percent, to 9,264.51, as of 11:20 a.m., after peaking above 9,300 at one point, reports Yonhap news agency.The index followed gains on Wall Street overnight, lead by major chipmakers, including Intel. The U.S. semiconductor company jumped a…
Seoul, June 12 (IANS) Banks are fast moving to rein in a surge in credit loans as customers have borrowed money to buy stocks, financial sources said on Friday.According to various sources, Hana, Shinhan and other major lenders have tightened criteria and limits on credit loans in the face of pressure from the country’s financial authorities, reports Yonhap news agency.The measure came as household loans extended by banks rose at the fastest pace in nearly two years in May as lending linked to s…
Seoul, June 12 (IANS) Seoul stocks were trading sharply higher on Friday morning as US President Donald Trump fuelled hopes for an end to the Iran war.The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) was trading up 606.46 points, or 7.81 percent, to 8,370.41, as of 11:20 am, reports Yonhap news agency.After opening sharply higher, the index is remaining above the 8,000-point mark, as institutional and foreign investors snapped up blue chip tech stocks.On Thursday (U.S. time) President Tru…
Seoul, June 9 (IANS) The South Korean economy grew at the fastest pace in more than five years in the first quarter, supported by strong exports and solid domestic demand, central bank data showed on Tuesday.The real gross domestic product (GDP) rose 1.8 percent in the January-March period from the previous quarter, 0.1 percentage point higher than the earlier estimate, according to preliminary data from the Bank of Korea (BOK), reports Yonhap news agency.The reading marked the strongest quarter…
Seoul, June 8 (IANS) Loans extended to companies in South Korea grew at the fastest pace in 3 and a half years in the first quarter compared with the previous three-month period, driven by strong demand from the service sector, central bank data showed on Monday.Outstanding loans to local companies reached 2,061.8 trillion won (US$1.33 trillion) as of end-March, up 35.6 trillion won from the fourth quarter of 2025, according to data from the Bank of Korea (BOK).The increase marked the largest on…