South Korean shares fall on financials, US trade caution
SEOUL, July 18 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
South Korean shares dropped on Friday, weighed down by dour performances among financials, as investors remained on the sidelines ahead of fresh signals on U.S. trade discussions.
The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 was down 17.96 points, or 0.56%, at 3,174.33, as of 0211 GMT.
The KOSPI is poised to end the week largely flat, if the current momentum holds.
"There is resistance around the 3,200 level of the previous high," Kiwoom Securities analysts said in a note.
U.S. President Donald Trump's latest U.S. tariff threats kept investors on edge, with South Korea facing 25% duties if no deal is reached by August 1.
Securities firms .KS53 dropped 3.19% and the financials' sub-index .KS49 lost 1.76%, retreating after recent gains on optimism over President Lee Jae Myung's market reform agenda.
Earlier this week, South Korea adopted a revision to its Commercial Act and launched a task force aimed at securing developed market status from a global index provider, in a bid to tackle the undervaluation of local stocks versus global peers.
Shares of KB Financial Group 105560.KS, Shinhan Financial Group 055550.KS and Woori Financial Group < 316140.KS> dropped more than 1% each.
Among other index heavyweights, chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS was trading flat, while peer SK Hynix 000660.KS edged 0.19% higher. Shares of battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS climbed 1.26%.
Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS were down 0.71% and 0.3%, respectively. Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 005490.KS added 1.63%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics 207940.KS lost 1.68%.
Of the total 933 traded issues, 202 shares advanced, while 689 declined.
Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 41.6 billion won ($29.92 million).
The won was quoted at 1,391.1 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.08% higher than its previous close at 1,392.2.
In money and debt markets, September futures on three-year treasury bonds KTBc1 gained 0.04 point to 107.14.
The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR fell by 0.3 basis point to 2.477%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR fell 2.3 basis points to 2.881%.
($1 = 1,390.5000 won)
Related Articles
International Copper Prices Rise for 7 Straight Months; Will Bull Market Continue in 2026?
TradingKey - As the "king of industrial metals," every fluctuation in international copper prices impacts the nerves of global investors. In early 2026, international copper prices continued to rise, extending the upward trend from 2025 and reaching a new high above $14,500, marking seven consecutive months of gains. Meanwhile, London Metal Exchange (LME) copper prices have climbed from $7,800 per tonne in July 2025 to over $9,000 per tonne today.
Nikkei Index Heading Toward 60,000? Why Is Global Capital Betting on Sanae Takaichi? Will Japan’s Stock Market Continue to Hit New Highs in 2026?
TradingKey - In February 2026, the Tokyo stock market once again became the epicenter of global financial markets. Following a landslide victory by the Sanae Takaichi-led Liberal Democratic Party in the Lower House elections, the Nikkei 225 Index hit consecutive record highs within just a few days, targeting the 60,000-point milestone.
USD Dollar Trend Forecast: Dollar Index Falls Below 97.0 to 4-Year Low, Will the Dollar Continue To Fall or Bottom Out in 2026?
TradingKey - In January 2026, the US Dollar Index continued its downward trend from 2025, officially breaking below the key 97.0 level and reaching a low of 95.5, marking a nearly four-year low since February 2022.
Best Silver Stocks to Watch in 2026
TradingKey - Silver has a uniquely dual nature that is reflected in its use in the modern world through both the use of silver as a resource for manufacturing and through its application to technology due to its superior properties of electrical and thermal conductivity compared to all other metals
