stock exchange

South Korea

2026-09-13 03:13:19

South Korea’s main stock exchange to test evening trading next Monday, extending close to 8 p.m.

South Korea’s main stock exchange will begin a trial of evening trading next Monday, extending trading in almost all local stocks to 8 p.m. from the current 3:30 p.m. close. The move is described as the first of its kind among Asia’s major exchanges and forms part of the Korea Exchange’s plan to reach 24-hour trading by December 2027. The additional session is expected to serve as a test of whether the market can keep enough liquidity after longer trading hours and whether investors show real demand for the extra window. Lee Young-jae, a senior investment manager at Pictet Asset Management in London, said a longer trading window could give investors more flexibility and may draw in more trading-oriented, higher-turnover participants as well as hedge funds. Edward Kim, Bank of America’s head of Korea equity sales, said the step marks another stage in the ongoing development of South Korea’s capital market and in improving access for global investors.

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DRC

2026-07-02 17:13:58

DRC Joins Forces with IFC to Build Its First Stock Exchange, Excluding Digital Assets

The Ministry of Finance of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) signed an agreement with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on June 18 to establish the country's first stock exchange (KSE). A draft financial market bill was submitted to the Senate on June 11, providing the legal foundation. The exchange will operate under a dual-currency system (franc and USD) but explicitly excludes digital assets and cryptocurrencies. This move fills a gap in the DRC's equity market while reflecting a cautious stance toward crypto in emerging markets building initial financial infrastructure.

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