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☆ Morgan Stanley names global ‘alpha’ stock ideas for April — and gives one nearly 30% upside
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Amala Balakrishner | In Amala-Balakrishner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Looking ahead, those searching for pockets of opportunities in the region can look to Morgan Stanley's selection of "alpha" stocks. Among the "notable top-ranked stock ideas" on its list is South Korean commercial bank Hana Financial Group. "Our Korea Financial analyst, Joon Seok ... believes large-cap banks are key beneficiaries of the corporate reform theme," Morgan Stanley's analysts said. Here are 10 stocks from Morgan Stanley's full list of top overweight-rated stocks for April. Notable bottom-ranked stocks Morgan Stanley named its "notable bottom-ranked stock ideas."

Persons: India's, Morgan Stanley's, Joon Seok, Morgan, Joon, Morgan Stanley, Santos, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Japan's Nikkei, CSI, Alpha, Japan, Hana Financial, Korea Financial, Financial Services, Novatek Microelectronics, Analysts, Morgan, Berger Paints Locations: India, Japan, China, Asia, Pacific, Korean

☆ In the wake of bitcoin's new highs, South Korea's 'kimchi premium' is in the spotlight again
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Now, get ready for the "kimchi premium," named after the popular side dish of fermented vegetables that's a staple in Korean cuisine. The "kimchi premium" refers to the price gap in cryptocurrencies, especially bitcoin, when listed in South Korea versus those listed in U.S. or European exchanges. The kimchi premium is in the spotlight again after bitcoin reached all-time highs in mid-March, soaring past $73,000 to a record high on March 13, according to Coin Metrics data. According to cryptocurrency data provider Cryptoquant, the Korea Premium Index reached its highest level since May 2021 on March 16, reaching 10.88%. That means bitcoin's trading price in South Korea was roughly 10% higher than the global spot price.

Persons: it's, bitcoin, Sam Bankman, Fried, FTX, Chainalysis, Baik Seunghoon, Baik Organizations: Alameda Research, CNBC, University of Calgary, country's Financial, Commission, South, South Korean Locations: Korea, South, cryptocurrencies, South Korea, Japan, China, East Asia, Korean

☆ South Korea to speed up reforms for boosting shareholder returns and tackling 'Korea discount'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

South Korea's financial regulator will look at speeding up the corporate reforms proposed last month and could reportedly add newer measures, after market players voiced concerns the steps might not be enough to tackle the so-called "Korea discount." The Financial Services Commission held a meeting on Thursday with domestic institutional investors and the country's pension fund, where vice chairman Kim So-young said the schedule for the reforms announced earlier would be speeded up, according to a Reuters report. "We will do our best to announce and implement before the previously planned schedule, as the market's expectations are high." In a statement issued after the meeting, the FSC said that establishing transparent markets, making capital market more accessible and pushing for shareholder returns to boost South Korea's undervalued stock markets. The regulator said it would also encourage institutional investors to "actively communicate with companies about the need to take voluntary measures to enhance valuations."

Persons: Kim So Organizations: Financial Services Commission, FSC Locations: Korea

☆ Why South Korea's Japan-style measures to boost its stock market may not work
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

An inflatable bull during a ceremony marking the first day of trading of the year at the Korea Exchange (KRX) headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesSouth Korea's Japan-style measures for improving corporate governance may not be enough to boost its undervalued stock markets and tackle the so-called "Korea discount." Asia's fourth-largest economy is striving to boost stock market valuations that are considered much lower compared to peers, with analysts referring to the phenomenon as the "Korea discount." The 'chaebol' problemSouth Korean markets are made up of corporations called "chaebols," which are large family-owned global conglomerates, typically controlled by the founder's family. "The behavior that leads to South Korea's low stock prices is motivated, and therefore seeking to coax South Korean controlling families into 'being nice' to minority stockholders is unlikely to be successful," Pines said.

Persons: SeongJoon Cho, James Lim, Jonathan Pines, Federated Hermes, Daniel Tan Organizations: Korea Exchange, Bloomberg, Getty Images Bloomberg, Getty, Financial, FSC, Samsung Electronics, LG, SK, Hyundai, Dalton Investments, Japan, Korean Stock Exchange, Federated, Grasshopper Asset Management, CNBC Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Japan, Korea, Tokyo, Asia, Singapore

☆ CNBC Daily Open: Americans sour on the economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Sumathi Bala | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Mixed bag on Wall StreetU.S. stocks ended mixed Tuesday as investors prepared for key inflation data due out later this week. South Korea's Japan-style measures to boost corporate governance may not work to lift its undervalued stock markets and tackle the so-called "Korea discount." Honor's foray into flip phonesChinese technology firm Honor will launch a foldable flip phone this year, the company's CEO George Zhao told CNBC.

Persons: Joe Biden, Dow, Bitcoin, Tesla, George Zhao, Andrew Organizations: CS Wind America Inc, CNBC, Wall Street, Nasdaq, Apple, Bloomberg, Will, Korea's, Financial Services Commission, Samsung Locations: Pueblo , Colorado, Korea's Japan, Korea

☆ South Korea unveils measures aimed at boosting stock markets, tackling 'Korea discount'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Shreyashi Sanyal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A man leads a bull during a ceremony celebrating the New Year's opening of the South Korea stock market at the Korea Exchange in Seoul on January 2, 2023. The announcement by the FSC highlighted steps that Korean authorities are taking to boost valuations of stock markets in Asia's fourth-largest economy. The country's stock markets are often considered undervalued by analysts, who refer to the phenomenon as the "Korea discount." The FSC said it will also introduce the "Korea Value-up Index" for institutional investors, including pension funds. "ETFs that track the Korea Value-up index will also be listed to facilitate retail investors' access to these companies," according to the statement.

Organizations: South, Korea Exchange, Financial, Commission, FSC, Nikkei Locations: South Korea, Korea, Seoul, Asia's, Tokyo

☆ South Korea prepares $57 billion corporate financial support program
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Commercial and residential buildings are illuminated at dawn in Seoul, South Korea, on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023. South Korea has prepared a financial support program of 75.9 trillion won ($56.97 billion) for companies increasing investment in key sectors as well as small businesses struggling with the impact of high interest rates. South Korea has prepared a financial support program of 75.9 trillion won ($56.97 billion) for companies increasing investment in key sectors as well as small businesses struggling with the impact of high interest rates. "Our banks need to start making efforts to expand support for companies, beyond consumer financing focused on mortgage loans," said Chairman Kim Joo-hyun. Evolving trade relations with China, technological advancement in major industries and fragmentation of global supply chains pose new challenges to companies, raising the need for regulatory reform and financial support, Kim said.

Persons: Kim Joo, Kim Organizations: Financial Services Commission Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Korea, China

☆ The 'Korea discount': Value stock or value trap?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

A cameraman takes video footage of a stock index board showing South Korea's benchmark stock index (L) after a ceremony celebrating the New Year's opening of the South Korea stock market at the Korea Exchange in Seoul on January 2, 2023. Chaebol challengeIn South Korea, most market heavyweights are corporations called "chaebols," large family-owned global conglomerates that are usually controlled by the founder's family. However, IHS Markit highlighted in June last year that in South Korea, the ex-dividend date comes before the companies' dividend announcement dates. With such challenges, should investors be putting their money into South Korea stocks — or should they stay away? "If authorities continue to improve the investment environment further, the chances for the South Korean stock index to be included in the [MSCI World Index] will grow," he said.

Persons: Jung Yeon, JUNG YEON, Vikas Pershad, Jiang Zhang, Jeremy Tan, Zhang, Hebe Chen, Chen, Ryota Abe Organizations: South, Korea Exchange, Getty, Management, North, CNBC, Samsung Electronics, LG, SK, Hyundai, Samsung, Tiger Fund Management, IHS, South Korea's Financial Services Commission, IG International, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Locations: South Korea, Korea, Seoul, North Korea, Korea's, Southeast Asia

☆ South Korea to re-impose stock short-selling ban through June to 'level playing field'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Jack Kim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A journalist walks past an electronic board of the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) at the Korea Exchange (KRX) in Seoul, South Korea, January 20, 2016 REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Nov 5 (Reuters) - South Korea from Monday will re-impose a ban on short-selling shares at least until June to promote a "level playing field" for retail and institutional investors, financial authorities said on Sunday. The regulator last week said it would establish a team of investigators to probe short-selling by foreign investment banks for illegal activity including so-called naked short-selling. Naked short-selling - in which an investor short-sells shares without first borrowing them or determining they can be borrowed - is banned in South Korea. Earlier in the year, the regulator fined five foreign firms including Credit Suisse for naked short-selling. Officials and market watchers alike have cited uncertainty around short-selling regulation as among factors needing to be resolved for influential index provider MSCI to upgrade South Korea to developed-market status.

Persons: Kim Hong, Kim Joo, Kim, Jack Kim, Michael Perry, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Korea, Korea Exchange, REUTERS, Rights, Monday, Financial Services Commission, Financial Supervisory Service, Credit Suisse, Thomson Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Rights SEOUL, Hong Kong

☆ Exclusive: South Korea asks banks to prepare $4 bln to support credit union - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Seunggyu Lim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

An official at the Financial Services Commission confirmed that banks had been asked to prepare liquidity through repurchase-agreement facilities to aid MG Community Credit Cooperatives, but did not comment on the amount. Depositors were lining up last week to withdraw funds from a branch of MG Community Credit Cooperatives after local media reported a rise in non-performing loans tied to real estate projects. Woori Bank, Hana Bank, Shinhan Bank, KB Kookmin Bank and NongHyup Bank had been asked to make financing available to MG Community Credit, although the actual amount extended to the credit union would depend on deposit withdrawals, the sources said. The sources added that each of the banks was asked to prepare 1 trillion won of financing, or 5 trillion won in total ($3.84 billion), as potential support. MG Community and the five banks did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Persons: Kim Jin, 1,302.7800, Seunggyu Lim, Jihoon Lee, Ed Davies, Edmund Klamann Organizations: Financial Services Commission, Community Credit Cooperatives, MG Community Credit Cooperatives, Woori Bank, Hana Bank, Shinhan Bank, KB Kookmin Bank, NongHyup Bank, MG Community Credit, MG Community, Community, Interior Ministry, Bank of, Ministry of Finance, Citi, Jungdo, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, Namyangju, Seoul, Bank of Korea, Gangwon

☆ EU pushes forward with post-Brexit forum for EU, UK financial regulators
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Britain's EU exit largely severed its financial sector's previously unfettered access to the bloc, raising concerns over London's role as a global financial centre. As part of Brexit terms, the EU agreed to formalise cooperation between financial watchdogs. The MoU will create a joint EU-UK Financial Regulatory Forum, similar to one the EU already has with the United States. Joanna Penn, treasury minister in the UK parliament's upper house, welcomed the "positive move" given how EU and UK financial markets are deeply interconnected. The EU has granted 'equivalence' or EU market access to derivatives clearing houses in London until the end of June 2025.

☆ EU urges others to copy its rules for cryptoassets
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, April 19 (Reuters) - The rest of the world should copy European Union rules for cryptoassets to create a robust global approach that protects consumers and financial stability, the EU's financial services chief said on Wednesday. The crypto sector has been rocked by the failure of crypto exchange FTX and other collapses, sending benchmark bitcoin prices tumbling, though it has begun to recover. "I hope that our rules could become a model for other countries," EU financial services commissioner Mairead McGuinness told the parliament. Crypto firms authorised in one EU state would be allowed to offer their services across all 27. McGuinness said the commission will study whether further rules are needed for decentralised finance, and for lending and borrowing in cryptoassets.

☆ Digital euro not a 'Big Brother' project, says EU official
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Johanna Geron/PoolLONDON, April 19 (Reuters) - A digital euro will offer choice in making payments and is not a "Big Brother" project that seeks to control people, the European Union's financial services commissioner Mairead McGuinness said on Wednesday. But critics say a digital version of the euro could be used to pry on people's activities, and make it harder to use cash for making payments and purchases. "This is not a Big Brother project," McGuinness told the European Parliament. If the EU decides to grant formal 'legal tender' status to a digital euro, the bloc would need to do likewise for the cash version of the single currency, McGuinness said. The court said legal tender means mandatory acceptance of the euro at full face value, along with power to discharge from payment obligations or release from debt.

☆ Germany warns EU over tampering with schemes for struggling banks
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The EU's executive European Commission is due on April 18 to set out draft reforms to rules for handling stricken banks. The schemes link banks in a national network, allowing a struggling lender to get financial aid from the scheme's other members, forming part of a country's protections for bank depositors. CARVE OUTLindner said the commission's current plans would introduce a "number of new and significant restrictions" on IPS schemes by treating them like deposit guarantee schemes. A "clear and precise carve-out for IPS from newly introduced restrictions would be the easiest and cleanest way" to respect last year's agreement not to tamper with IPS, Lindner said. A report for the European Parliament last year said IPS represents a central and substantial component of depositor protections in Germany.

☆ EU executive says no decision yet on financial sector commission ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, March 22 (Reuters) - The European Union's executive said on Wednesday that upcoming plans to bolster retail investor protections will be "ambitious", but any ban on banks offering commission in return for business from financial advisers has yet to be decided. The European Commission in the coming weeks is due to propose its "retail investment strategy" to deepen its capital market, a step made more urgent by Britain's exit from the bloc. His boss, EU financial services commissioner Mairead McGuinness, has suggested that inducements or commission offered by banks to financial advisers who send business their way should be banned to end a conflict of interest and cut fees. Industry officials talk of the idea of a ban being dropped or introducing over many years. Any follow-up legislative proposal would be for the new commission from late 2024, he added.

☆ South Korea launches panel on banks amid outcry over pay
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, Feb 22 (Reuters) - South Korea launched a task force on Wednesday to study ways to improve business practices and pay schemes at banks, days after the country's president called on lenders to help curb the cost-of-living burden on vulnerable people. The panel is headed by the deputy chief of the top financial regulator, the Financial Services Commission (FSC), and comprises regulators, scholars, researchers and officials from financial industry associations, the FSC said in a statement. Kim So-young, vice chairman of the FSC, said at the panel's inaugural meeting that it would study ways to boost competition either between existing banks or by allowing entries of niche service providers. The panel would also look into ways to help banks diversify their business practices, currently heavily dependant on interest rate margins, and improve their pay structure, he said. President Yoon Suk-yeol and other government officials have said there is growing public discontent over reports of big performance-sharing and early-retirement bonus payments by banks.

☆ South Korea's 'jeonse' rent-free renters hit by property downturn
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Jihoon Lee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Yoo Ha-jin, 27, looks at a building where she lives in Seoul, South Korea, February 21, 2023. Yoo Ha-jin, 28, regrets not getting insurance for her jeonse deposit when she signed in March 2021. "I thought I would be just fine as long as I could get a jeonse deposit loan from the bank," Yoo told Reuters. Jeonse deposit loans more than quadrupled in less than six years through October to 172 trillion won ($132 billion), according to the central bank. Jeonse deposit loansPROPERTY FALLOUTStill, almost all jeonse loans have guarantees from public enterprises, leaving little credit risk for commercial lenders.

☆ S.Korea fines Citadel Securities for stock algorithm trading breaches
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, Jan 27 (Reuters) - South Korea's financial regulator has imposed a fine of 11.88 billion won ($9.66 million) on U.S.-based Citadel Securities, saying it disturbed the local stock market with high-frequency algorithm trading. The Commission said it was the first time it had imposed fines on such high-frequency trading on the South Korean stock market, which has a high proportion of retail investors and little competition among algorithmic traders. It added the firm did not provide algorithm source codes in the consultation process. "Citadel Securities works diligently to follow all applicable laws, regulations, and rules in jurisdictions in which we trade," it said in a statement. We disagree with the FSC’s decision relating to our trading activity more than five years ago and will be seeking to appeal the decision."

☆ Investing in South Korean stocks to get easier for foreigners in 2023 - regulator
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Financial Services Commission said in a statement there was a huge discrepancy between the regulations currently in place and the global standards and that "(it) will boldly improve regulations that have hindered global investors from investing in our market." The regulator said it would scrap a three-decade-old rule that requires foreigners to register with authorities prior to trading South Korean stocks. The push comes as South Korea pursues the promotion of its stock market to Morgan Stanley Capital International's developed market index. It is currently categorised as an emerging market by the global index provider. The regulator plans to complete the required legislation revision process in the first half of this year to implement such changes within 2023.

☆ Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt has discovered a mysterious $12 million hole in his bank account
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Usain Bolt is missing $12.7 million from an investment account. Bolt first discovered that the funds were missing on January 11, according to a report from Jamaica's English newspaper, The Gleaner. A separate Bloomberg report on Wednesday, however, said that Bolt plans to take the case to Kingston's Supreme Court if the money isn't returned in eight days. The funds in the account— which totaled $12.8 million— were part of Bolt's retirement and lifetime savings, Bloomberg reported. Insider also contacted Linton P. Gordon on behalf of Usain Bolt who did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

☆ EU ramps up moves to limit financial link with post-Brexit London
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Britain's departure from the EU has forced the bloc to review its reliance on London for clearing trillions of euros in derivatives, EU financial services commissioner Mairead McGuinness said. The draft laws form the latest package in the bloc's efforts to build a capital markets union. The portion that must shift would be decided by EU regulators, but the relocation would be "gradual" and "with the grain" of the market to cut excessive rather than all reliance on London, an EU official said. Banks pushed back against voluntary attempts to relocate euro clearing from London to Frankfurt, leaving the EU with little choice but to mandate the shift. The third draft law seeks to simplify how companies list to save about 100 million euros annually in compliance fees.

☆ Euronext Italian arm to become group-wide clearer from end 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Pan-European stock exchange Euronext (ENX.PA) said on Thursday that customers will be able to clear all share trades at its Italian arm from the end of 2023, a move that ends reliance on a London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) unit in Paris. "This is the first milestone in the transformation of Euronext Clearing to create the Euronext clearing house of choice for its cash equity markets," Euronext said in a third quarter trading statement. Clearing in Euronext credit derivatives will follow in 2024. As many are likely to shift stock and derivatives trading to Italy given efficiencies from using one location. Earlier this week, Deutsche Boerse's Eurex Clearing offered payments to buy-side customers who relocate derivatives clearing from London in 2023 in anticipation of the EU legislation.

☆ EU seeks better alignment with global sustainability rules
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Huw Jones | Nita Bhalla | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 3 (Reuters) - The European Union sought on Thursday to reassure international companies it would seek to align its sustainability disclosure rules with a global initiative, after warnings from regulators over fragmenting capital markets. The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) is writing global baseline standards for corporate disclosures on climate for use in non-EU countries such as Britain, while the United States is working on its own disclosure rules. "We want to see as much alignment as possible with the work of the International Sustainability Standards Board, even though as I have said Europe is likely to go further and faster to meet our more higher ambitions on climate," McGuinness said. She is moving to the next stage of the EU's green plans by assessing how best to encourage sustainable retail lending for small firms and households. "With the support of the European Banking Authority, we are examining what needs to be done to promote the growth of green loans and green mortgages," McGuinness said.

☆ South Korean household loans shrink sharply in Sept as rates rise
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SEOUL, Oct 13 (Reuters) - South Korean households' loans from banks fell by the biggest amount in more than a year in September amid rising interest rates and an extended property market slowdown, further clouding the outlook for Asia's fourth-largest economy. Bank lending to households, including policy mortgage loans, shrank 1.2 trillion won ($840.96 million) in September, after a 0.3 trillion won gain in August, according to Bank of Korea data on Thursday. Growth in housing mortgage loans slowed to 0.9 trillion won, from 1.6 trillion won in the previous month, while other lending decreased by 2.1 trillion won, led by credit loans. South Korea's central bank has been aggressive in raising interest rates since August last year to tame the world's highest household debt and surging inflation. read moreThe country's property market has abruptly gone from sizzling hot to floundering.

☆ South Korea plans reforms to tackle 'Korea discount' for its stocks
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( Joori Roh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A woman talking on the phone walks past an electronic board of the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) at the Korea Exchange (KRX) in Seoul, South Korea, January 20, 2016 REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File PhotoSEOUL, Sept 20 (Reuters) - South Korea plans to announce financial reforms later this year, including its policy on shareholder returns, that could help reduce the "Korea discount" in stock markets, a senior government official told Reuters on Tuesday. The "Korea discount" refers to a tendency for South Korean companies to have lower valuations than global peers due to factors such as low dividend payouts, the dominance of opaque conglomerates known as chaebols and geopolitical risks involving North Korea. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterSome of the policies the authority is looking into include dividend policy, registration requirements for foreign investors and corporate filings. "(South Korea's) current dividend policy does not meet the global standard and has been mentioned several times by foreign investors ... In South Korea, unlike other major economies, companies confirm dividend amounts weeks after the so-called ex-date - after which buyers of the stock do not receive the payout - creating uncertainty for investors.

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