Key facts
- The South Korean won weakened against the U.S. dollar.
- Foreign investors sold local stocks in South Korea.
- The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) edged up slightly.
- Corporate direct financing in South Korea fell 10.9% in May.
The South Korean won weakened against the U.S. dollar as foreign investors divested from local stocks, despite a slight uptick in the KOSPI index. Concurrently, corporate direct financing in South Korea experienced an 11% decrease in May from April, reaching 20.14 trillion won. This dip was largely attributed to a substantial reduction in corporate bond sales, even as stock issuance saw an increase.

The South Korean won weakened against the U.S. dollar, a movement attributed to foreign investors selling local stocks. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) saw a slight increase, mirroring positive trends on Wall Street. In a separate but related economic development, corporate direct financing in South Korea declined by 10.9% in May compared to the previous month, totaling 20.14 trillion won. This overall decrease in direct financing was primarily driven by a significant drop in corporate bond sales. Despite the decrease in bond issuances, the market observed a rise in stock issuance during the same period.