FX.co ★ South Korean Shares Edge Higher

The KOSPI index saw a slight uptick, reaching approximately 2,474 points on Friday, building on the nearly 1% gain from the prior session. This positive movement came as investors continued to analyze encouraging developments in the trade talks between the United States and South Korea. Market participants also considered the Bank of Korea's recent decision to maintain its current interest rate, in line with expectations, while hinting at a possible rate cut next month to mitigate economic threats stemming from U.S. tariff policies. The forecast for South Korea's GDP growth has been lowered, now anticipated to fall below the previous estimate of 1.5%, with inflation projected to stabilize around 2%. In sector performance, transportation stocks led the charge, with significant gains from Hyundai Motor, up over 5%, and Hyundai Glovis, nearly 4% higher. Other noteworthy stocks included Hanwha Aerospace, which rose by 2.6%, Naver by 1.1%, and Alteogen by 3.1%. Conversely, the major decliners were SK Hynix, down by 0.9%, and Celltrion, down by 1.3%. For the week, the index is set to close with an increase of nearly 2%.