Asia-Pacific Ministers May Say Their Economies Can Weather Market Turmoil

(Bloomberg) -- Asia-Pacific finance ministers, meeting
in Australia this week, may say the world economy is strong enough
to weather recent financial-market turmoil that drove the cost of
borrowing higher for companies.

Japan's Koji Omi, China's Jin Renqing and South Korea's Kwon
Okyu are among ministers of the 21-member Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation group who will meet in Coolum, Australia, on Aug. 2 and
3. U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson will be represented by
Deputy Secretary Robert Kimmitt.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

South Korea's Economy Grows at Fastest Pace in 18 Months as Exports Surge

(Bloomberg) -- South Korea's economy grew at the
fastest pace in 1 1/2 years in the second quarter, spurred by
exports of LG Electronics Inc. mobile phones and Samsung Heavy
Industries Co. ships.

Asia's third-largest economy expanded 1.7 percent from the
first quarter, the Bank of Korea said in Seoul today, above the
1.3 percent median estimate of 11 economists in a Bloomberg News
survey. From a year earlier, the economy swelled 4.9 percent.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

South Korea's Kospi Index Is Little Changed; Carmakers Rise, Samsung Falls

(Bloomberg) -- South Korea's Kospi index swung
between gains and losses. Hyundai Motor Co. rose after Meritz
Securities Co. lifted its price estimates for some carmakers,
citing improved quarterly earnings on higher domestic sales.

Samsung Electronics Co. slid after chip prices fell by the
most in two weeks, triggering concern earnings may decline.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Kia Motors, Kookmin, LG.Philips, Samsung SDI: South Korea Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following shares may rise or fall
in South Korea. Prices refer to the July 13 close. This preview
includes news announced after markets shut. Stock symbols are in
brackets after the company names.

The Kospi index rose 2.8 percent to a record 1962.93. The
Kosdaq declined 0.3 percent to 825.40. Kospi 200 futures expiring
in September added 3.5 percent to 252.65, while the underlying
index gained 3 percent to 250.19.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

SK Telecom, Bausch & Lomb, Ceva Plan to Sell Debt: Corporate Bond Alert

(Bloomberg) -- SK Telecom Co., South Korea's largest
mobile-phone operator, and eye-care and surgical product maker
Bausch & Lomb Inc. are among borrowers seeking to raise at least
$61.5 billion of bonds in the U.S., according to data compiled by
Bloomberg.

Sales this week total $15.1 billion, compared with $343
million last week. Companies sold $687.3 billion of bonds so far
this year, up from $558.2 billion a year ago.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Neo-China, SK Telecom, Korea Exchange Bank, Mitsubishi: Asia Bond Alert

(Bloomberg) -- SK Telecom Co., South Korea's largest
mobile-phone operator, and Azgard Nine Ltd., a Pakistani maker of
textiles and fertilizer, are among borrowers seeking to sell at
least $7 billion of bonds in Asia, according to data compiled by
Bloomberg.

Governments and companies in Asia sold $43.3 billion of debt
denominated in dollars, euros and yen this year, up from $37.5
billion a year earlier, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Sales of Samurai debt, bonds sold by foreign entities in Japan,
increased to 1.3 trillion yen ($10.6 billion), from 741 billion
yen in the whole of 2006.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News

Daewoo Securities Buys 19.9 Percent Stake in Indonesian Brokerage eTrading

(Bloomberg) -- Daewoo Securities Co., South Korea's
largest securities firm by market value, said it bought a 19.9
percent stake in Indonesia's PT eTrading Securities, becoming
the second-biggest owner of Indonesia's largest online brokerage.

Daewoo paid 14.9 billion rupiah ($1.6 million) for the
stake, the first investment in an Indonesian securities firm by
a Korean brokerage, Seoul-based Daewoo said in a statement today.
Aiti Investment and other affiliates own a combined 69 percent
of eTrading.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

South Korean Won Rises to Seven-Month High as Stocks Rally; Bonds Fall

(Bloomberg) -- South Korea's won rose to the highest
in seven months against the dollar on speculation overseas
investors increased purchases of the nation's stocks. Bonds
declined.

The currency was poised for a fifth week of gains as stock
exchange data showed funds abroad bought $65 million more Korean
shares than they sold within the first 15 minutes of trading. The
Bank of Korea yesterday boosted benchmark interest rates and said
the increase ``won't be a hurdle'' to the economy, which will
likely grow by more than it previously expected.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News

Exporters, Hankook Tire, Metals Makers, GS E&C: South Korea Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following shares may rise or fall
in South Korea. Prices refer to the previous close. This preview
includes news announced after markets shut yesterday. Stock
symbols are in brackets after the company names.

The Kospi index climbed 1.1 percent to a record 1909.75. The
Kosdaq added 1 percent to 828.22. Kospi 200 futures expiring in
September gained 1.4 percent to 244.10, while the underlying index
rose 1 percent to 242.86.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Asian Shares Rise, Led by BHP Billiton, Posco, on Takeovers, Metals Prices

(Bloomberg) -- Asian stocks climbed, driving
benchmarks in South Korea and Hong Kong to records, on takeover
speculation in the metals industry and higher commodity prices.

Rio Tinto Group climbed to a new high after a newspaper
report said it would bid for Alcan Inc. The world's No. 3 mining
company announced an offer after the close of trading in Australia.
South Korea's Posco led the region's steel producers higher after
Chaparral Steel Co. agreed to be bought for $4.22 billion.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Daewoo Shipbuilding, Dongkuk Steel Mill, NCsoft: South Korea Stock Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following shares may rise or fall
in South Korea. Prices refer to the previous close. This preview
includes news announced after markets shut yesterday. Stock
symbols are in brackets after the company names.

The Kospi index retreated 0.2 percent to 1889.96. The Kosdaq
rose 0.6 percent to 820.02. Kospi 200 futures expiring in
September lost 0.6 percent to 240.85, while the underlying index
slipped 0.2 percent to 240.46.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Economists Split Over Probable Outcome of Bank of Korea Meeting Tomorrow

(Bloomberg) -- Economists are divided over whether
South Korea's central bank will raise its benchmark interest
rate for the first time in a year, as accelerating loan growth
threatens to spur inflation.

Bank of Korea will lift the overnight call rate target by a
quarter point to a six-year high of 4.75 percent, according to
eight of 15 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. Seven expect
no change. The central bank's monetary board meets tomorrow at 9
a.m. in Seoul and announces a decision before 11 a.m.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

South Korea Won Weakens on Speculation Central Bank May Sell the Currency

(Bloomberg) -- The South Korean won fell on
speculation traders were betting the central bank will sell the
currency to keep the price of exports from rising. Government
bonds declined.

The won has strengthened 1.5 percent over the past month
while the yen has weakened by the same magnitude, putting Korean
export companies at a disadvantage versus their Japanese rivals.
The finance ministry and the Bank of Korea last week warned they
will take action in the market to stem excessive gains after the
currency reached the highest in a decade against the yen.


Read more at Bloomberg Emerging Markets News

South Korea's Kospi Index Advances; Chipmakers Rise, LG Household Falls

(Bloomberg) -- South Korean stocks advanced for a
sixth day. Samsung Electronics Co. and Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
rose after chipmakers raised prices of computer memory.

LG Household & Health Care Ltd. fell after the company said
it's in exclusive talks to buy Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd.'s bottling
unit in Korea for as much as A$545 million ($467 million).


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

Exporters, Daewoo Shipbuilding, Samsung, Posco: South Korea Equity Preview

(Bloomberg) -- The following shares may rise or fall
in South Korea. Prices refer to the July 6 close. This preview
includes news announced after markets shut. Stock symbols are in
brackets after the company names.

The Kospi index gained 0.7 percent to a record 1861.01. The
Kosdaq index climbed 1 percent to 811.06. Kospi 200 futures rose
0.6 percent to 238.25, while the underlying index gained 0.8
percent to 236.52.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

South Korea Stocks Rise, Led by Samsung Electronics, Hynix Semiconductor

(Bloomberg) -- South Korea's benchmark stock index,
the Kospi Index, rose 0.73 percent at 9:05 a.m.

The index of 731 companies traded on the Korea Exchange rose
13.49 to 1,861.28. Among the stocks in the index, 363 rose, 142
fell and 225 were unchanged.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

SK Corp. Shares Rise in Seoul Before Stock Is Halted for Re-organization

(Bloomberg) -- Shares of SK Corp., South Korea's
largest oil refiner, rose as much as 7.8 percent as investors
purchase the stock before a scheduled halt in trading this week
for a company re-organization.

SK Corp. shares climbed as much as 9,000 won to 124,000 won
and traded at 122,000 won at 9:46 a.m. in Seoul. Trading will be
halted on June 28 for a month, when the Seoul-based company will
split into a holding company structure.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

SK Corp. Delays Maintenance Shutdown of Ulsan Unit Until April Next Year

(Bloomberg) -- SK Corp., South Korea's largest oil
refiner, will delay a maintenance shutdown of its No. 5 crude
distillation unit in Ulsan to April 2008 from June and July this
year.

The refiner will delay shutting the 260,000 barrel-a-day
unit because it has undergone maintenance in 2005 and there's no
particular need for maintenance now, the Seoul-based company said
today in an e-mail to Bloomberg News. The exact dates and length
of the shut down next year will be decided later.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

UPDATE 1-Lone Star sells KEB stake for $1.28 bln-source

(Reuters) - Lone Star sold 87.7 million shares in South Korea's No. 5
bank at 13,600 won per share, a 6.8 percent discount to its
closing price on Thursday, said the source, who declined to be
named.




The offer was increased from the initially planned 73.1
million shares, the source said, with demand far exceeding
availability.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

South Korean Won Rises to One-Month High; Rupiah, Taiwan Dollar Advance

(Bloomberg) -- South Korea's won climbed to the
highest in more than a month on signs Asia's third-largest
economy is improving after a slowdown in the first quarter.

The won has risen 0.3 percent since the finance ministry
said June 18 the economy is recovering ``gradually,'' buoyed by
export growth and increased spending by consumers and businesses.
The benchmark stock index reached a record this week.


Read more at Bloomberg Currencies News