South Korean shares flat on first trading day of 2025 amid mixed data

SEOUL: Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

• South Korean shares traded little changed on Thursday amid mixed economic data, after ending 2024 as the worst performing Asian market.

• The benchmark KOSPI was marginally down by 0.82 points, or 0.03%, at 2,398.67 as of 0136 GMT.

• In 2024, the KOSPI fell 9.6%, while the MSCI Asia Pacific excluding Japan index rose 7.7%.

• South Korea’s exports grew at a faster pace in December, beating market expectations, and ended the year with a record performance, data showed on Wednesday.

• But factory activity contracted during the month, with manufacturers’ sentiment turning pessimistic for the first time since mid-2020 due to uncertainty over US trade policy and domestic politics, a survey showed on Thursday.

• South Korea’s central bank governor said the pace of monetary policy easing would need to be flexible this year due to heightened political and economic uncertainty.

• Among index heavyweights, chipmaker Samsung Electronics fell 0.56% and peer SK Hynix lost 1.61%, but battery maker LG Energy Solution climbed 0.72%.

• Hyundai Motor added 1.42% and sister automaker Kia Corp gained 1.09%, while e-commerce firms and biopharmaceutical stocks fell.

• Of the total 923 traded issues, 548 shares advanced, while 311 declined.

• Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 59.7 billion won ($40.63 million) on the main board on Thursday.

• The won was quoted at 1,469.3 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, 0.20% higher than its previous close at 1,472.3.

• In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year treasury bonds rose 0.06 point to 106.71.

• The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield fell by 2.3 basis points to 2.573%, while the benchmark 10-year yield was flat at 2.871%.