FX.co ★ South Korea Stocks Set to End Week on Muted Note

The KOSPI Index experienced a minor decline during a turbulent Friday morning session, settling around 3,187, after two consecutive days of gains. This shift in mood was largely due to uncertainties surrounding the U.S.-South Korea trade discussions. The talks, initially slated for this week, have been postponed owing to a scheduling conflict involving U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Meanwhile, on Wall Street, stock performances were mixed, despite the S&P 500 and Nasdaq closing at record highs, driven by progress toward a U.S.-EU trade agreement. Noteworthy decliners included LG Energy, dropping 1.8%, Celltrion down 1.6%, Samsung Biologics 0.9% lower, and Korea Electric Power decreasing by 0.5%. For the week, the KOSPI is poised to conclude relatively unchanged, following gains in the previous two weeks, as investors look toward the forthcoming U.S.-China trade negotiations in Stockholm. These talks aim to prolong the tariff truce, which is set to expire on August 12. Additionally, attention is focused on next week's U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting, amid renewed calls from President Trump for a rate cut after his Thursday visit to the central bank.