S.Korean shares rise as shipbuilding, nuclear stocks jump ahead of US summit

Published on 08/21/2025 at 03:24 am EDT

• KOSPI rises, foreigners net sellers
• Korean won weakens against dollar
• South Korea benchmark bond yield falls

(Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares rose on Thursday as petrochemical firms gained, and nuclear energy and shipbuilding stocks jumped on hopes of industrial cooperation with the U.S. ahead of an upcoming summit.
** The benchmark KOSPI added 11.65 points, or 0.37%, to close at 3,141.74.
** "It is likely topics related to shipbuilding, defence and nuclear energy will arise at the summit," said Lee Kyoung-min, an analyst at Daishin Securities.
** Shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean rose 5.89% after the presidential office said President Lee Jae Myung would visit Hanwha's shipyard in Philadelphia following his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday.
** Peer HD Hyundai Heavy Industries gained 4.77%, while Samsung Heavy Industries added 1.37%.
** Nuclear energy-related stocks rallied. Doosan Enerbility jumped 7.14%, while KEPCO Engineering & Construction soared 15.29%.
** LG Chem advanced 3.35% and Lotte Chemical gained 7.07% after the government said financial institutions have agreed to lend support to petrochemical firms that have sincere plans for business restructuring.
** Among other index heavyweights, chipmaker Samsung Electronics rose 0.14%, but peer SK Hynix lost 4.11%. Battery maker LG Energy Solution slid 1.32%.
** Hyundai Motor and sister automaker Kia Corp were up 0.45% and down 1.14%, respectively. Steelmaker POSCO Holdings added 1.17%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics fell 0.20%.
** Of the total 935 traded issues, 517 advanced and 361 declined.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 83.7 billion won ($59.8 million).
** The won was quoted at 1,399.0 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, 0.13% lower than Thursday's close of 1,397.2.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield fell 0.7 basis point to 2.430%, while the benchmark 10-year yield dropped 1 basis point to 2.844%. ($1 = 1,399.0300 won)
 (Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Sumana Nandy) 

Sumber : Reuters