(Jan 13): South Korea’s main stock exchange plans to extend trading hours as the benchmark index powers toward South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s election campaign target of 5,000. The proposal, which is in line with global trends, comes after smaller exchange Nextrade introduced pre- and after-market trade in March. The Kospi has risen every trading day this year, taking gains to around 10%. Hyundai Motor Group stocks have also been on a tear amid optimism over the group’s humanoid robot and robotaxi businesses. Despite the surge in stocks, the local currency has remained under pressure, falling more than 2% against the greenback in 2026.

Source: The Edge Markets January 13, 2026 05:58 UTC