Yen Near Lows as Markets Await Bank of Japan Rate Decision, Euro Slips After ECB Signals Caution 
Harris Associates Open to Revised Paramount Skydance Bid for Warner Bros Discovery 
U.S. Lawmakers Urge Pentagon to Blacklist More Chinese Tech Firms Over Military Ties 
Oil Prices Steady in Asia but Headed for Weekly Loss on Supply Glut Concerns 
Sanofi’s Efdoralprin Alfa Gains EMA Orphan Status for Rare Lung Disease 
Asian Markets Rebound as Tech Rally Lifts Wall Street, Investors Brace for BOJ Rate Hike 
Republicans Raise National Security Concerns Over Intel’s Testing of China-Linked Chipmaking Tools 
Gold and Silver Surge as Safe Haven Demand Rises on U.S. Economic Uncertainty 
Trump Administration Reviews Nvidia H200 Chip Sales to China, Marking Major Shift in U.S. AI Export Policy 
Trump Defends Economic Record in North Carolina as Midterm Election Pressure Mounts 
TikTok U.S. Deal Advances as ByteDance Signs Binding Joint Venture Agreement 
Oil Prices Climb on Venezuela Blockade, Russia Sanctions Fears, and Supply Risks 
Elon Musk Wins Reinstatement of Historic Tesla Pay Package After Delaware Supreme Court Ruling 
Instacart Stock Drops After FTC Probes AI-Based Price Discrimination Claims 
EU Delays Mercosur Free Trade Agreement Signing Amid Ukraine War Funding Talks 
Union-Aligned Investors Question Amazon, Walmart and Alphabet on Trump Immigration Policies 
Kevin Hassett Says Inflation Is Below Target, Backs Trump’s Call for Rate Cuts 
South Korean stocks ended the year 2022 down 24.9 percent to mark its first annual loss in four years due to global monetary tightening and economic recession woes.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed Thursday at 2,236.40 points, representing a 24.9 percent plunge for 2022.
The KOSPI got off to 2,988.77 points on its first session on Jan. 3, and had been on a downward spiral, hitting a low of 2,155.49 on Sept. 30.
The KOSPI posted a 7.7 percent jump in 2019, a 30.8 percent increase in 2020, and a 3.6 percent surge in 2021.
Along with the decline in trading volume, there has been a decline in market optimism.
The aggressive tightening of monetary policies by major central banks, particularly the US Federal Reserve, is blamed by the Korea Exchange (KRX) for the KOSPI's underwhelming performance.
The policies were aimed at fighting inflation caused by high energy prices and a post-pandemic rebound in demand.
KOSPI’s performance in 2022 ranked 25th out of the benchmark stock indexes in 27 economies, including G-20 and other Asian countries.
