South Korea Stocks Rise, Erasing Earlier Losses; Hynix Semiconductor Gains

(Bloomberg) -- South Korean stocks rose, snapping a
two-day fall that had wiped out $68 billion in market value.
Technology companies rose, led by Hynix Semiconductor Inc., after
Shinyoung Securities Co. lifted its price estimate on higher chip
prices.

Stocks also rose after a government report showed South
Korea's industrial production increased almost twice as much as
expected, reinforcing speculation economic growth will speed up.
Posco advanced.


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Asian Currencies Weaken as Overseas Investors Shun Region's Riskier Assets

(Bloomberg) -- Asian currencies fell on speculation
global investors cut holdings in riskier assets as stock markets
across the region dropped.

The Indonesian rupiah declined to the weakest in almost five
months and the Malaysian ringgit and South Korean won slipped to
their lowest in July. Bank Indonesia said last week it isn't
worried by the currency's decline, while South Korea's central
bank said the won is set to drop as the current-account surplus
narrows.


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South Korea Stocks Fall, Reversing Earlier Gains; Exporters Drop on Won

(Bloomberg) -- South Korean stocks dropped, erasing
earlier gains. Samsung Electronics Co. declined after the won
rose to the highest since December against the dollar, eroding
the local-currency value of exporters' overseas earnings.

Samsung Heavy Industries Co. advanced after it said second-
quarter profit jumped to a record.


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South Korean Shares Drop From Record; Samsung Electronics, Posco Decline

(Bloomberg) -- South Korean stocks fell as
investors judged excessive a rally that's made the Kospi index
the world's best-performing benchmark this month. Samsung
Electronics Co. and Posco declined.

The Kospi index lost 3.99, or 0.2 percent, to 1,979.55 as
of 9:44 a.m. in Seoul, after earlier gaining as much as 0.3
percent. It's climbed 13 percent this month.


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South Korean Won Climbs to Highest This Year; Malaysian Ringgit Advances

(Bloomberg) -- The South Korean won rose to the
strongest this year on signs growth in Asia is accelerating.

The currency has strengthened almost 1 percent in July as
the central bank and government raised this year's growth
forecasts. Vice Finance Minister Kim Seok Dong said today the
government will stabilize the won when necessary. China's economy,
South Korea's biggest export market, grew at the fastest pace in
12 years in the second quarter, a report today showed.


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South Korea's Kospi Has First Rise in Three Days; Kookmin, LG Chem Advance

(Bloomberg) -- South Korean stocks climbed, breaking
a two-day slide, on speculation strong exports and domestic demand
will fuel a recovery in the economy. Kookmin Bank led advances.

LG Chem Ltd. gained after reporting quarterly profit that was
more than double analysts' estimates.


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Asian Stocks Resume July Rally on Economic Growth; Samsung, Komatsu Climb

(Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks rose, driving the Nikkei
225 Stock Average to a seven-year high, on signs economic growth
in Japan and South Korea is accelerating.

Komatsu Ltd. gained after a government report showed
machinery orders in Japan rose more than forecast in May. Samsung
Electronics Co. led the Kospi index, the world's third-best
performer this month, to a fourth straight high after the
commerce ministry raised its forecast for South Korean exports.


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South Korean Stocks Gain, Led by Samsung, Chipmakers; Kangwon Land Plunges

(Bloomberg) -- South Korean stocks advanced for a
fourth day. Samsung Electronics Co. gained on speculation prices
for dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, will rise, helping
improve profit.

Kangwon Land Inc. tumbled by the most in more than four
years after the nearby city of Pyeongchang failed in its bid to
host the 2014 Winter Olympics.


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South Korean Consumer Confidence Rose to 15-Month High in Second Quarter

(Bloomberg) -- South Korean consumers showed the
most optimism in 15 months in the second quarter, an indication
that households may spend more and help spur economic growth.

The Bank of Korea's consumer confidence index increased to
108 in the second quarter from 103 in the previous three months,
the central bank said in a statement in Seoul today. A reading
higher than 100 indicates optimists outnumber pessimists.


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UPDATE 3-Bank of Korea concerned about strong won

(Reuters) - "We are concerned" about the rise in the South Korean
currency against the yen, Lee Sung-il, senior deputy governor
of the Bank of Korea told Reuters on the sidelines of a
conference. "As you know, the yen/won rate is decided by
arbitrage of the yen/dollar rate so we don't have a choice."




Asked if the central bank would take action to restrain the
won's rise, he said: "No."


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South Korean Stocks Rise on U.S. Retails Sales; Samsung Electronics Gains

(Bloomberg) -- South Korean stocks advanced.
Samsung Electronics Co. rose after U.S. retail sales gained and
the Federal Reserve said growth isn't stoking inflation, easing
concern that interest rates will rise.

The Kospi index added 20.09, or 1.2 percent, to 1742.08 as
of 9:26 a.m. in Seoul. The Kosdaq gained 1.1 percent to 774.21.
Kospi 200 futures expiring in June climbed 1.2 percent to 221.15,
while the underlying index rose 1.2 percent to 221.10.


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South Korea's Kospi Rises to Record High; Kookmin Bank, Shinhan Lead Gains

(Bloomberg) -- South Korean stocks advanced, pushing
the Kospi index to a record. Kookmin Bank and Shinhan Financial
Group Ltd. rose after Deutsche Bank AG said they were ``regaining
loan growth momentum.''

``Banks are catching up after missing out on the market's
recent gains,'' said Choi Chang Hoon, who manages about $800
million at Woori Credit Suisse Asset Management Co. in Seoul.
``The feeling is spreading that banks' earnings will be more
stable than previously expected.''


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