Korea’s export value index rose for the fifth consecutive month in February thanks to a recovery of the semiconductor industry. Export value is the current value of exports converted to U.S. dollars and expressed as a percentage of the average of the base period (2000). Semiconductor exports are sho
Despite a sluggish construction industry, corporate sentiment in the economy has rebounded slightly for the first time in three months, attributed to the recovery in semiconductor exports.According to the survey results of the Business Survey Index (BSI) and Economic Sentiment Index (ESI) for March
Six of the world’s top 10 shipping companies posted negative growth in the fourth quarter of 2023 due to a sluggish global shipping market. Among them, only two posted a profit thanks to the acquisition of mega-ships: HMM, a Korean shipping giant that claims eighth place, and Taiwan’s Evergreen.Amon
The 17-year trend of Japan’s persistent negative interest rates has come to an end, yet the market’s response remains tepid. This is attributed to assessments indicating difficulty in perceiving a full-fledged tightening. However, there are prospects suggesting that the yen may strengthen from the s
Taiwan’s stock market has reached an all-time high, propelled by the surge in Taiwanese technology stocks, including TSMC, amid the global semiconductor boom. The narrowing gap in market capitalization with the domestic stock market has narrowed to approximately US$4 billion.According to the Taiwan
On March 21, the KOSPI index closed at 2,754.86, marking a significant increase of 64.72 points, or 2.41 percent, compared to the previous day’s closing.The KOSPI started at 2,731.18, up 41.04 points, or 1.53 percent, from the previous day’s closing, and it rose to 2,755.45 at one point during the t
The possibility of exporting South Korea’s indigenous helicopter, Surion, to Iraq is increasing. Following visits by high-ranking Iraqi military officials, the Iraqi Defense Minister’s visit to South Korea has heightened discussions about the introduction of the Surion. The potential first export of
Patent applications originating from the Republic of Korea at the European Patent Office (EPO) grew by 21% last year, according to the EPO’s Patent Index 2023 published today. This was the highest growth rate among the 20 leading innovating countries, and more than five times the average growth at t
“Predictability is what matters most for global companies,” said James Kim, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in South Korea (AMCHAM). “With an exodus out of China becoming a reality, we are receiving an influx of many inquiries from companies looking to move their Asia-Pacific headquarte
The combined operating profit of the top 10 companies by market capitalization in the South Korean stock market falls short of those of leading Japanese company Toyota and top Taiwanese company TSMC.To address the “Korea discount,” which refers to the undervaluation of South Korean stocks, it is poi
South Korean shipyards are continuously winning contracts for very large crude carriers (VLCCs). Recently, Hanwha Ocean and HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HKSOE) have pursued high-value contracts for VLCCs as part of their strategy to diversify their vessel portfolios and prioritize s
LG Chem, Korea’s largest petrochemical company, will shut down its styrene monomer (SM) plant at the end of March. SM is widely used in the manufacture of various petrochemical products. The company is also reportedly considering abandoning production of ethylene oxide (EO) and ethylene glycol (EG),
The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry announced on March 12 that it appointed Vice Chairman Cho Hyun-sang of Hyosung as the new chairman of the Korea-Vietnam Economic Cooperation Committee on March 11.The Korea-Vietnam Economic Cooperation Committee was jointly established by the Korea Chamber
Korean shipbuilders overtook China in terms of ship order intake in February to take the number one spot in the global market.According to Clarkson Research, a British shipbuilding and shipping market analysis firm, global ship orders totaled 3.4 million CGT (100 ships) in February, of which Korea w
Miky Lee, vice chairwoman of CJ Group, has been recognized as a visionary influencing Hollywood in the United States.According to CJ ENM on March 5, Vice Chairwoman Lee was featured in the special edition “2024 Hollywood Issue” of the prestigious American entertainment magazine Vanity Fair.Since 199
The Hyundai Research Institute (HRI) has forecasted that the South Korean economy will enter a recovery phase after passing its lowest point this year.According to a report titled “Now is an Important Time to Form an Early Economic Cycle Bottom” released by the HRI on March 3, there is a high possib
The author is an analyst for NH Investment & Securities. He can be reached at bk@nhqv.com -- Ed.Global stock markets have rallied of late, with the S&P500 surging for four months in a row. In February, the Kospi has outperformed other major markets. But, the fast market growth is likely to bolster p
The trend of improved terms of trade in South Korea has continued for the eighth consecutive month. This is attributed to the slowdown in the decline of export prices, which has resulted in import prices decreasing more significantly than export prices.Exports of semiconductors, the largest export i
Korean shipbuilders lagged behind Chinese shipbuilders to take second place in global ship orders in January.Global ship orders totaled 2.57 million CGT (96 ships) in January, down 26 percent year on year, according to Clarkson Research, a U.K.-based shipbuilding and shipping market research firm. O
Samsung Biologics announced on Feb. 13 that it has been awarded the Leadership A- grade in the climate change response category by global sustainability evaluation organization Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). CDP, a non-profit international organization founded in the U.K. in 2000, conducts project