S.Korea Himart plans to raise about $500 mln in IPO

SEOUL, July 29 (Reuters) – Himart, South Korea’s biggest
electronics retailer, plans to raise about 600 billion won
($506.3 million) in a 2011 initial public offering, a Himart
official said.

Himart has chosen Daewoo Securities to manage the IPO, the
proceeds of which are likely to be used to pay off debts owed by
its parent firm Eugene Corp (023410.KQ), the official, who
declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue,
said.

Himart, founded in 1987, operates 281 stores in the country.
In its 2009 financial year the company had a a net loss of 37.2
billion won.

Eugene Corp has an 80 percent stake in Himart. Himart CEO Sun
Jong-koo has a 19 percent shareholding, a March regulatory filing
showed.

For a factbox on South Korea’s IPO market, click on
[ID:nTOE62U02Z]

Seoul shares end lower, weighed by techs

July 27 (Reuters) – Seoul shares were mixed on Tuesday after gains in automakers such as Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) were offset by falls in technology stocks such as Hynix (000660.KS) after the index reached a new 2-year high.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) ended 0.04 percent lower at 1,768.31 points, after earlier rising as high as 1,778.72 points, a fresh 25-1/2-month closing high. (Reporting by Jungyoun Park; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

Seoul shares slip 0.8 pct as techs lose ground

July 22 (Reuters) – Seoul shares fell on Thursday as blue chip technology stocks such as Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) slid amid mounting concerns a slowing global recovery may lead to a slump in sales.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed down 0.76 percent at 1,735.53 points.

(Reporting by Jungyoun Park; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)

N.Korea says U.S. military drills pose ‘danger’ to region

July 22 (Reuters) – U.S. and South Korean plans to start large-scale joint military drills this month pose a major danger to the region, a North Korean diplomat said on Thursday.

“The decision to hold military drills is a major danger for the security of the region,” North Korean official Ri Tong-il, a member of Pyongyang’s delegation at a regional security forum in Hanoi, told reporters.

South Korea and the United States say the exercises scheduled from July 25 aim to deter North Korea from any future attack, after Seoul blamed Pyongyang for the sinking of a South Korean warship in March.

(Reporting by John Ruwitch; Editing by Jason Szep)

Seoul shares rise on earnings expectations

Foreign investors were sellers of a net 24 billion won worth
of stocks.

Advancers outnumbered decliners 437 to 342 and 93 issues
ended flat.

Trading volume was 302 million shares worth 4.8 trillion won,
compared with 277.7 million shares worth 4.5 trillion won in the
previous session.

The KOSPI 200 Sept futures index KSc1 ended up 0.90 points
at 226.50, and the KOSPI 200 spot index .KS200 rose 0.52 points
to 225.84.

The junior Kosdaq market .KQ11 ended 0.25 percent higher at
499.72.

Move on day +0.28 percent

12-month high 1,757.76 26 APRIL 2010

12-month low 1,447.11 20 JULY 2009

Change on yr +3.21 percent

All-time high 2,085.45 1 NOV 2007

All-time low 93.10 6 JAN 1981

Seoul shares rise on earnings hope;Hyundai Motor up

July 20 (Reuters) – Seoul shares rose 0.3 percent Tuesday on expectations that major exporters such as Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) would report robust earnings.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained 0.28 percent to 1,736.77 points.

(Reporting by Jungyoun Park; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)

IMF aims to boost lending resources by $250 billion: report

(Reuters) – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) wants to boost its lending resources to $1 trillion from $750 billion in order to prevent future financial crises, the Financial Times said on Monday.

The paper, without citing sources, said the IMF wants to agree financing deals in advance that will be specially tailored to individual countries, rather than respond to crises with conditional loan packages.

“Even when not in a time of crisis, a big fund, likely to intervene massively, is something that can help prevent crises,” IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn told the FT.

“Just because the financing role decreases, doesn’t mean we don’t need to have huge firepower… a $1,000 billion fund is a correct forecast,” he said.

The FT said South Korea, which currently chairs the Group of 20 leading economies, is hoping to convince the G20 countries to back the plan at the next summit in Seoul in November.

(Reporting by Karolina Tagaris; Editing by Michael Urquhart)

Seoul shares slip; falls limited by China gains

Retail investors picked up a net 126.8 billion won worth of
shares.

Decliners outnumbered advancers 486 to 302 and 81 issues
ended flat.

Trading volume was 277.7 million shares worth 4.5 trillion
won, compared with 370.4 million shares worth 5.9 trillion won in
the previous session.

The KOSPI 200 Sept futures index KSc1 ended down 1.45
points at 225.60, and the KOSPI 200 spot index .KS200 fell 1.02
points to 225.32.

The junior Kosdaq market .KQ11 ended 0.08 percent lower at
498.49.

Move on day -0.37 percent

12-month high 1,757.76 26 APRIL 2010

12-month low 1,447.11 20 JULY 2009

Change on yr +2.92 percent

All-time high 2,085.45 1 NOV 2007

All-time low 93.10 6 JAN 1981

Seoul shares post 25-mth closing high on techs

July 14 (Reuters) – Seoul shares posted an over two-year closing high on Wednesday as technology issues such as Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) soared on Intel’s positive earnings, but POSCO (005490.KS) retreated on outlook worries.

Foreign investors were buyers of a net 905 billion won ($746.4 million) worth of stocks, their biggest daily purchase since mid-September 2009.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) finished up 1.32 percent at 1,758.01 points, its highest close since mid-June 2008.

(Reporting by Jungyoun Park; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)

Seoul shares cut gains; Hynix, Ssangyong decline

Institutions sold a net 86 billion won worth of shares and
retail investors offloaded a net 317.2 billion won worth.

Decliners outnumbered advancers 391 to 389 and 97 issues
ended flat.

Trading volume stood at 406.6 million shares worth 5.5
trillion won, compared with 340 million shares worth 4.6 trillion
won in the previous session.

The KOSPI 200 Sept futures index KSc1 ended up 0.15 points
at 226.45, and the KOSPI 200 spot index .KS200 gained 0.28
points to 226.14.

The junior Kosdaq market .KQ11 ended 0.22 percent higher at
497.79.

Move on day +0.06 percent

12-month high 1,757.76 26 APRIL 2010

12-month low 1,377.60 14 JULY 2009

Change on yr +3.11 percent

All-time high 2,085.45 1 NOV 2007

All-time low 93.10 6 JAN 1981
(Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)

Seoul shares slash gains on tech, auto losses

July 13 (Reuters) – Seoul’s stock market trimmed earlier gains to close up 0.06 percent as losses in tech and auto issues such as Hynix (000660.KS) and Ssangyong Motor (003620.KS) weighed, but continued foreign buying helped.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) finished up 1.03 points at 1,735.08.

(Reporting by Jungyoun Park; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)

Seoul shares rise on airlines, battery makers

Institutions bought a net 47.4 billion won worth of shares
and retail investors sold a net 336 billion won worth.

Advancers outnumbered decliners 437 to 341 and 99 issues
ended flat.

Trading volume stood at 340 million shares worth 4.6 trillion
won, compared with 464 million shares worth 5.5 trillion won in
the previous session.

The KOSPI 200 Sept futures index KSc1 ended up 1.0 points
at 226.30, and the KOSPI 200 spot index .KS200 gained 1.42
points to 225.86.

The junior Kosdaq market .KQ11 ended 0.92 percent higher at
496.70.

Move on day +0.64 percent

12-month high 1,757.76 26 APRIL 2010

12-month low 1,377.60 14 JULY 2009

Change on yr +3.05 percent

All-time high 2,085.45 1 NOV 2007

All-time low 93.10 6 JAN 1981

Seoul shares rise as investors welcome rate hike

Foreign investors were buyers of a net 314.5 billion won
($260.3 million) worth of stocks.

Institutions bought a net 118 billion won worth of shares and
retail investors sold a net 484 billion won worth.

Advancers outnumbered decliners 461 to 316 and 91 issues
ended flat.

Trading volume stood at 464 million shares worth 5.5 trillion
won, compared with 324.8 million shares worth 5 trillion won in
the previous session.

The KOSPI 200 Sept futures index KSc1 ended up 3.50 points
at 225.30, and the KOSPI 200 spot index .KS200 gained 3.66
points to 224.44.

The junior Kosdaq market .KQ11 ended 0.65 percent higher at
492.15.

Move on day +1.43 percent

12-month high 1,757.76 26 APRIL 2010

12-month low 1,377.60 14 JULY 2009

Change on yr -2.4 percent

All-time high 2,085.45 1 NOV 2007

All-time low 93.10 6 JAN 1981
(Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)

Seoul shares rise as investors welcome rate hike

July 9 (Reuters) – Seoul shares rose on Friday as investors welcomed the central bank’s surprise rate hike decision as a sign the economy was making a firm recovery, sending exporters and financials including Hana Financial (086790.KS) higher.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) finished up 1.43 percent at 1,723.01 points, just 2 percent away from its earlier 2010 high of 1,757.76 points.

(Reporting by Jungyoun Park; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)

Seoul shares inch up led by shipyards, steelmakers

Retail investors bought a net 94.6 billion won worth of
shares.

Decliners outnumbered advancers 419 to 374 and 80 issues
ended flat.

Trading volume stood at 349 million shares worth 4 trillion
won, compared with 338.5 million shares worth 5.4 trillion won
in the previous session.

The KOSPI 200 Sept futures index KSc1 ended up 0.60 points
at 217.95, and the KOSPI 200 spot index .KS200 rose 0.46
points to 217.47.

The junior Kosdaq market .KQ11 ended 0.09 percent higher
at 486.15.

Move on day +0.21 percent

12-month high 1,757.76 26 APRIL 2010

12-month low 1,377.60 14 JULY 2009

Change on yr -0.44 percent

All-time high 2,085.45 1 NOV 2007

All-time low 93.10 6 JAN 1981
(Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)

Seoul shares inch up led by shipyards, steelmakers

July 5 (Reuters) – Seoul shares edged up on Monday, snapping a four-session losing streak with gains led by shipyards and steelmakers such as STX Offshore & Shipbuilding (067250.KS) and POSCO (005490.KS).

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) finished up 0.21 percent at 1,675.37 points.

(Reporting by Jungyoun Park; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)

Seoul shares decline; LG Display, Hyundai Motor dip

July 1 (Reuters) – Seoul shares dipped 0.7 percent on Thursday, weighed by weaker than expected Chinese manufacturing data, with losses led by Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) on reports its parent group could bid for Hyundai E&C (000720.KS).

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) finished down 12.05 points at 1,686.24 points.

(Reporting by Jungyoun Park; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)

Seoul shares shed 1.4 pct on econ jitters

June 29 (Reuters) – Seoul shares gave up earlier gains and ended 1.40 percent lower on Tuesday, as sentiment turned negative amid renewed economic concerns and sharp falls in Chinese stocks, analysts said.

Financials

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) finished down 24.27 points at 1,707.76 points.

(Reporting by Jungyoun Park; Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)

Seoul shares fall 0.6 pct on econ jitters

Institutions picked up a net 118.5 billion won worth of
stocks, and retail investors purchased a net 51.3 billion won.

Decliners outnumbered advancers 481 to 310 and 94 issues
ended flat.

Trading volume stood at 297 million shares worth 4.6 trillion
won, compared with 307 million shares worth 4.3 trillion won in
the previous session.

The KOSPI 200 Sept futures index KSc1 ended down 1.90
points at 226.50, and the KOSPI 200 spot index .KS200 retreated
1.82 points to 225.63.

The junior Kosdaq market .KQ11 ended 0.2 percent lower at
498.12.

Move on day -0.58 percent

12-month high 1,757.76 26 APRIL 2010

12-month low 1,366.78 25 JUNE 2009

Change on yr +2.80 percent

All-time high 2,085.45 1 NOV 2007

All-time low 93.10 6 JAN 1981
(Editing by Chris Lewis)

Seoul shares fall 0.6 pct on econ jitters

June 25 (Reuters) – Seoul shares declined on Friday as renewed concern about the global economy weighed on issues sensitive to economic cycles such as technology issues and steelmakers, but life insurers such as Samsung Life (032830.KS) advanced.

Financials

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) finished down 0.58 percent at 1,729.84 points. (Reporting by Jungyoun Park; Editing by Chris Lewis)