FX.co ★ South Korean Shares Pause Gains Amid Trade Concerns

On Friday, the KOSPI index remained stable at approximately 3,200, halting its advance after three consecutive days of growth. This pause was largely influenced by renewed trade tensions. A recent development on Thursday saw U.S. President Trump implementing an order to lower tariffs on Japanese automobiles to 15%. This decision has heightened competitive pressures on South Korean car manufacturers, as tariffs on South Korean vehicles in the U.S. remain at 25%. Despite these setbacks, Wall Street demonstrated robust performance; the S&P 500 reached a new all-time high, and the Nasdaq also saw gains. These advances were fueled by optimism that weaker U.S. labor data might encourage interest rate cuts. Meanwhile, South Korean investors continued to analyze corporate reform proposals submitted by the nation's leading conglomerates as part of the government's "value-up" initiative. In the corporate sector, more stocks declined than advanced across key industries. Specifically, Samsung Electronics decreased by 0.5%, Hyundai Motor saw a 0.3% drop, and Hanwha Ocean plummeted by 4.2%. Contrarily, SK Hynix rose by 3%, and Naver experienced a 1.1% increase.