Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
Indian Refiners Scale Back Russian Oil Imports as U.S.-India Trade Deal Advances 
Missouri Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Starbucks’ Diversity and Inclusion Policies 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices 
Rio Tinto Shares Hit Record High After Ending Glencore Merger Talks 
UK Starting Salaries See Strongest Growth in 18 Months as Hiring Sentiment Improves 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates 
DBS Expects Slight Dip in 2026 Net Profit After Q4 Earnings Miss on Lower Interest Margins 
Australian Household Spending Dips in December as RBA Tightens Policy 
Oil Prices Slip as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Middle East Tensions 
Samsung Electronics Shares Jump on HBM4 Mass Production Report 
Nvidia, ByteDance, and the U.S.-China AI Chip Standoff Over H200 Exports 
India–U.S. Interim Trade Pact Cuts Auto Tariffs but Leaves Tesla Out 
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Says AI Investment Boom Is Just Beginning as NVDA Shares Surge 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
Asiana Airlines is the no.2 carrier in South Korea but it was reported that it may be delisted from the Korea Exchange. Two of its affiliates including Air Busan and Asiana IDT, are also facing the same fate, according to industry insiders.
Kospi’s eligibility review is underway
As per The Korea Herald, the Korea Exchange made an announcement late last week that it decided to assess the Asiana Airline’s listing eligibility pursuant to the former Kumho Asiana Group chief Park Sam Koo’s arrest last month for charges of directing unfair financial transactions among group affiliates that were said to have resulted in huge gains for him and his family.
As mentioned earlier, it is not just Asiana Airlines that will be examined by the KRX, but it also made the decision to review its subsidiaries - Air Busan and Asiana IDT, the information and communication tech unit of Asiana, for their listing eligibility.
It was said that the outcome of the review will be completed in 20 trading sessions and once done, it will determine if they can stay and resume their stock transactions on Kospi’s market.
It was after Park Sam Koo’s arrest when the trading for Asiana Airlines, Air Busan and Asiana IDT was suspended. This was said to have been carried to protect the investors.
Sure enough, if Asiana Airlines and its affiliates are delisted, it will be a big blow to small shareholders because they carry 58.21% of the airline’s total stocks.
“We would like to apologize to our shareholders for the prolonged stock trading suspension,” an official from Asiana Airlines said. “To protect our shareholders’ ownership rights, we will put all our efforts into getting the trading back on track.”
Airlines to start taking off again as more people get vaccinated
Meanwhile, the potential delisting news involving Asiana Airlines comes after it was reported that airlines in South Korea are preparing to resume flights for tourists again. It was said that flights to Guam and other tourist destinations overseas are being prepared as these places are starting to open and welcome inoculated travelers again.
South Korean airlines will allow group tours of fully vaccinated Korean citizens. It was added that the South Korean government is currently in talks with Singapore, Guam and Saipan for a quarantine-free travel bubble agreement, Yonhap News Agency reported. The government may also propose the same deal with Taiwan and Thailand soon.
