South Korean shares retreat as earnings season gathers steam

NVH Korea

28/10/2025 02:18

KOSPI falls, foreigners net sellers

Korean won weakens against dollar

South Korea benchmark bond yield rises

SEOUL, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares fell on Tuesday, taking a breather from recent record highs, as traders awaited earnings reports this week from major firms, including SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics. The won slipped and the benchmark bond yield rose.

     ** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 was down 54.72 points, or 1.35%, at 3,988.11, as of 0144 GMT.

** In the previous session, the index climbed above 4,000 points for the first time, buoyed by optimism around trade talks between the U.S. and China - the country's two biggest trading partners.

     ** Among index heavyweights, chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS fell 2.65% on Tuesday, while peer SK Hynix 000660.KS lost 2.80%. Battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS slid 0.40%.

     ** Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS were down 1.77% and 1.31%, respectively. Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 005490.KS shed nearly 1%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics 207940.KS rose 0.66%.

** Samsung SDI 006400.KS gained 1% after reporting a consolidated operating loss of 591 billion won ($415.76 million) for the third quarter.

         ** Of the total 929 traded issues, 319 shares advanced, while 541 declined.

** In a sign of underlying economic resilience, South Korea's economy grew in the third quarter by the fastest pace in 1-1/2 years, central bank estimates showed on Tuesday, helped by strong exports and solid private consumption as government stimulus boosted spending.

     ** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 1,120.3 billion won.

     ** The won was quoted at 1,434.1 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.05% lower than its previous close at 1,433.4.

     ** In offshore trading, the won KRW= was quoted at 1,434.0 per dollar, down 0.3% on the day, while in non-deliverable forward trading its one-month contract KRW1MNDFOR= was quoted at 1,431.6.

     ** The KOSPI has risen 66.21% so far this year.

     ** The won has strengthened 2.7% against the dollar so far this year.

     ** In money and debt markets, December futures on three-year treasury bonds KTBc1 lost 0.04 point to 106.66.

     ** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR rose by 1.4 basis points to 2.637%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR rose by 1.8 basis points to 2.954%.

   ($1 = 1,421.4800 won)

 (Reporting by Cynthia Kim; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)

 ((Cynthia.Kim@thomsonreuters.com; 822 3704 5655; Reuters Messaging: cynthia.kim.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))