Home > Business > Finance

Seoul shares rise nearly 1 percent on eased tariff woes; won sharply higher

Published: 14 Apr. 2025, 16:39

A screen in Hana Bank's trading room in central Seoul shows the Kospi closing at 2,455.89 points on April 14, up 23.17 points, or 0.95 percent, from the previous trading session. [YONHAP]

Shares ended nearly 1 percent higher Monday, led by gains of semiconductor and battery shares amid eased woes over the Donald Trump administration's sweeping tariffs. The won's value soared to a four-month high against the dollar.

The Kospi gained 23.17 points, or 0.95 percent, to close at 2,455.89. The Kosdaq rose 13.39 points, or 1.92 percent, to 708.98.

Trade volume was a bit slim at 474.1 million shares worth 6.56 trillion won ($4.61 billion), with winners beating losers 634 to 255.

Retail investors bought a net 192.6 billion won worth of stocks, while foreign investors and institutions combined sold a net 264.8 billion won.

“Market sentiment is increasingly leaning toward the view that the tariff risks triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump may have peaked and are now beginning to ease,” Han Ji-young, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities, said.

Most blue chips advanced following losses the previous session.

Market cap Samsung Electronics jumped 1.81 percent to 56,200 won, and leading battery maker LG Energy Solution climbed 2.24 percent to 343,000 won.

Top automaker Hyundai Motor added 1.01 percent to close at 179,300 won and its affiliate Kia gained 1.46 percent to 83,200 won.

Leading defense equipment manufacturer Hanwha Aerospace rose 1.67 percent to end at 792,000 won.

Shipbuilders also enjoyed brisk trading. Industry leader HD Hyundai Heavy Industries gained 1.46 percent to end at 347,500 won, and Hanwha Ocean jumped 3.22 percent to 80,100 won.

Among losers, chipmaker SK hynix fell 0.5 percent to 179,900 won and Samsung Biologics dropped 0.57 percent to 1,039,000 won.

The local currency was trading at 1,424.1 won against the dollar at 3:30 p.m., down 25.8 won from the previous session to reach its highest value since Dec. 6, when it changed hands against the greenback at 1,419.2 won.

Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, ended mixed. The yield on three-year government bonds fell 0.9 basis points to 2.41 percent, and the return on the benchmark 10-year U.S. government bonds rose 5.9 basis points to 4.49 percent.

Yonhap