The South Korean stock market is exhibiting a mixed trend on Monday with investors treading a cautious path and indulging in some selective buying. While key stocks from technology and automobile sectors are attracting buyers, banking, steel, oil and shipping stocks are trading lower.
The benchmark KOSPI index, which declined to around 1,555.8 earlier in the day, is currently trading at 1,563, down 3.6 points or 0.23% from its previous close.
Among technology stocks, Hynix Semiconductor is trading 2.6% up, LG Electronics is gaining about 1.5% and LG Display is trading stronger by over 3.5%. However, heavyweight Samsung Electronics is trading in negative territory with a loss of about 1%.
In the banking space, Korea Exchange Bank, Shinhan Financial and KB Financial are trading lower by 2%-2.6%, while Woori Finance is down with a loss of 4%.
Shipping stocks STX Pan Ocean and Daewoo Shipbuilding are trading flat. Hyundai Heavy Industries is up 1.2% and Samsung Heavy Industries is trading lower by 1.4%.
Automobile stocks Hyundai Motor and Kia Motor are up 0.9% and 0.8% respectively. Telecom stocks are trading with notable gains.
Steel stocks Hyundai Steel and POSCO are losing about 1.7% and 1.3% respectively. Oil stocks are also down with notable losses. Airliners Korean Air and Asiana Airlines are trading lower by 2.5% and 4.4% respectively.
Among other markets in the Asia-Pacific region, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Japan are trading lower, while Australia, Singapore and Taiwan are in positive territory with modest gains. Markets across the region had ended with notable losses on Friday.
On Wall Street, stocks posted modest gains on Friday after a significantly volatile session. The major averages closed in positive territory after spending most of the day in the red.
While concerns about the labor market dragged stock prices down around early afternoon, a lower than expected decline in consumer credit and speculation that the European Union would concoct a solution to Greece's debt problems pulled the market out of the red.
The Dow gained 10 points or 0.1% to end at 10,012.2, the Nasdaq advanced by 15.7 points or 0.7% to 2,141.1 and the S&P 500 edged up 3.1 points or 0.3% to 1,066.2.
Major European markets saw substantial losses on Friday. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 and the German DAX index ended lower by 1.5% and 1.8% respectively, while the French CAC 40 index declined by 3.4%.
Crude oil declined to its lowest level in nearly two months on Friday, with a stronger dollar and concerns about global economy causing the decline. Light sweet crude for March delivery settled at US$71.19 a barrel, down US$1.95 on the session.
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June 12, 2026 17:14 ET Major central bank action was the focus this week in economic news. The European Central Bank became the first major central bank to move in response to the rising inflationary pressures in the backdrop of the conflict in the Middle East. In North America, the U.S. inflation and trade data as well as Canada’s central bank decision gained attention. The Chinese trade data was the main news in Asia.