South Korean Stocks Climb Close to 1% as Tariff Concerns Ease; Won Hits Four-Month High

Synopsis

On April 14, South Korean stocks rose nearly 1% driven by semiconductor and battery sectors, reflecting reduced tariff concerns from the US. The Korean won reached a four-month high against the US dollar, while the KOSPI index saw a significant gain.

Key Takeaways

South Korean stocks increased by 1%.
Semiconductor and battery stocks led the gains.
The Korean won hit a four-month high against the U.S. dollar.
Trading volume was recorded at 6.56 trillion won.
Investor sentiment is improving as tariff concerns ease.

Seoul, April 14 (NationPress) South Korean equities concluded with a rise of nearly 1 percent on Monday, buoyed by advancements in semiconductor and battery stocks, as concerns regarding the sweeping tariffs imposed by the U.S. administration began to dissipate. The Korean won surged to a four-month peak against the U.S. dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) increased by 23.17 points, or 0.95 percent, closing at 2,455.89.

Trading volume was modest at 474.1 million shares valued at 6.56 trillion won (approximately US$4.61 billion), with the number of gainers surpassing those who lost, at 634 to 255, according to reports from Yonhap news agency.

Retail investors acquired a net of 192.6 billion won in stocks, whereas foreign investors and institutions collectively sold a net of 264.8 billion won.

“Investor sentiment is increasingly tilting towards the belief that the tariff uncertainties instigated by U.S. President Donald Trump may have reached their peak and are now beginning to alleviate,” remarked Han Ji-young, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities.

Most major stocks rebounded following losses from the previous trading day.

The market giant Samsung Electronics surged 1.81 percent to close at 56,200 won, while prominent battery producer LG Energy Solution climbed 2.24 percent to reach 343,000 won.

Leading automobile manufacturer Hyundai Motor increased by 1.01 percent to finish at 179,300 won, and top defense contractor Hanwha Aerospace rose 1.67 percent to conclude at 792,000 won.

Shipbuilding companies also experienced robust trading. Industry leader HD Hyundai Heavy Industries advanced 1.46 percent to close at 347,500 won, and Hanwha Ocean soared 3.22 percent to 80,100 won.

By 3:30 p.m., the local currency was trading at 1,424.1 won against the U.S. dollar, a jump of 25.8 won since the last session, marking its highest level since December 6, when it was traded at 1,419.2 won.

Bond prices, which tend to move inversely to yields, experienced an uptick. The yield on three-year Treasurys dipped by 0.3 basis points to 2.408 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bonds also fell by 0.1 basis points to 2.509 percent.