Future Finance Research Institute

Industry News

[Photo News] Bitcoin hits new high

A screen shows bitcoin trading at over $80,000 at local crypto exchange Upbit's headquarters in southern Seoul, Monday morning. The price of bitcoin hit an all-time high, marking a nearly 17 percent rise over the past week. Bitcoin traded as high as $81,784 on Upbit, as of press time. The recent surge was largely driven by US President-elect Donald Trump's victory, after he stressed his will to ease crypto-...

Seoul shares open lower on Trump uncertainties

South Korean stocks opened lower on Monday, as investors sat on the sidelines over policy uncertainties under the incoming Trump administration. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 12.6 points, or 0.49 percent, to 2,548.55 in the first 15 minutes of trading. In Seoul, top tech giant Samsung Electronics moved down 2.11 percent, and No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix shed 1.8 percent. Top battery maker LG Energy...

Seoul shares down despite Fed's rate cut; won sharply up

South Korean stocks closed lower Friday as uncertainties over the incoming Trump administration's policies overshadowed a back-to-back rate cut by the Federal Reserve. The local currency sharply rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell 3.48 points, or 0.14 percent, to close at 2,571.15. Trade volume was moderate at 440.7 million shares worth 9.63 trillion won ($6.94 billio...

Seoul shares open sharply higher on US rate cut

South Korean stocks opened sharply higher, tracking overnight gains on Wall Street, after the US Federal Reserve lowered its benchmark interest rate by a quarter-percentage point. The Korean won also sharply gained against the greenback. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 25.57 points, or 1 percent, to 2,590.2 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The rate cut marked the second consecutive reduction ...

Seoul shares close tad higher amid Trump policy uncertainties

South Korean stocks finished slightly higher to end a two-session losing streak Thursday as investors scurry to gauge the potential impact of the upcoming President-elect Donald Trump administration's policy on key sectors like semiconductors, EV batteries and shipbuilding. The Korean won edged down against the US dollar. After opening slightly lower, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index added 1.12 po...

'Trump trade' shakes up markets

With Donald Trump winning the US presidential election, the “Trump trade” flowed into the South Korean stock market, with shares of defense and shipbuilding firms surging. The value of the local currency against the US dollar dropped to a two-year low. Shares of defense companies jumped, with investors anticipating robust earnings on the potential for escalated geopolitical risks. Furthermore, Korea could...

Seoul shares open weak after Trump's victory

South Korean stocks opened lower Thursday on concerns over a shift in US trade and economic policies following former US President Donald Trump's comeback. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index lost 8.27 points, or 0.32 percent, to 2,555.24 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, major US indexes closed at record highs after Trump won the 2024 US presidential election as investors expected lower...

Increased bets on Trump victory send won to 2-yr low, Seoul stocks down for 2nd day

The South Korean won dipped to a two-year low against the US dollar Wednesday on increased bets on Republican nominee Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election. Korean stocks ended lower for the second consecutive day. The local currency was trading at 1,396.2 won against the greenback at 3:30 p.m., down 17.6 won from the previous session, the lowest since November 7, 2022, when the rate closed at 1...

Seoul shares open higher on US rally

South Korean stocks kicked off higher Wednesday tracking an overnight tech rally on Wall Street. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 9.64 points, or 0.37 percent, to 2,586.52 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, major US indexes gained ground as a report on the services industries shows that the US economy is still strong. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 1.02 percent, the tech-hea...

Hanwha chief touts bigger global footing of asset management unit

Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn on Tuesday visited Hanwha Asset Management to praise the asset management unit's recent progress in its ongoing efforts for global expansion. He was accompanied by Kim Dong-won, president and chief global officer at Hanwha Life Insurance, and Hanwha Asset Management CEO Kim Jong-ho. “Despite unfavorable market conditions, Hanwha Asset Management has overcome challenges ...