South Korean shares fall over 1% as Samsung Electronics drops

SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS

24/08/2026 02:46

KOSPI falls, foreigners net sellers
Korean won strengthens against dollar
South Korea benchmark bond yield falls
SEOUL, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares fell more than 1% on Monday, dragged down by heavy losses in Samsung Electronics on disappointment over its shareholder return policies. 
** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 was down 90.29 points, or 1.31%, at 6,822.66 as of 0126 GMT. 
** Samsung Electronics 005930.KS fell 6.31%,  after the chipmaker said last week its shareholder returns this year could reach up to 110 trillion won ($79.55 billion), which analysts said was smaller than expected. 
** Peer SK Hynix 000660.KS gained 1.91%. 
** Among other index heavyweights, battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS climbed 3.93%, while peer Samsung SDI 006400.KS surged 8.58% on an announcement of a share sale plan by Samsung Display. 
** Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS were down 0.84% and down 0.31%, respectively. Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 005490.KS added 5.65%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics 207940.KS fell 0.26%.
** Of the total 901 traded issues, 506 shares advanced, while 346 declined.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 1.3 trillion won. 
** The won was quoted at 1,381.1 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.35% higher than its previous close at 1,386.0.
** In money and debt markets, September futures on three-year treasury bonds KTBc1 gained 0.05 point to 103.18.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR fell by 0.2 basis points to 3.851%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR fell by 6.4 basis points to 4.350%.

($1 = 1,382.7000 won)

 (Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Sonia Cheema)
 ((jihoon.lee@thomsonreuters.com;))