À̹ÌÁö È®´ë South Korean financial markets will open and close an hour later than usual on Thursday, a tradition they have kept up on the day for state-administered nationwide college entrance exam.
Trading hours at Kospi, Kosdaq, and Konex will be pushed back an hour from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, according to securities market operator Korea Exchange on Wednesday. The same goes for the over-the-counter market. But the closing time for block trading will be the same at 6 p.m.
Business hours for the bond exchange for trading warrants, investment funds, government bonds, and repurchase agreements will become an hour late. Trading of stocks and interest-related products at derivates market will also start an hour late, with closing time also pushed back. But only the opening time for currency, gold futures trading will be delayed by an hour and close at regular time.
Evening trading hours for Kospi 200 futures, U.S dollar index futures will start one hour late at 7 p.m. Thursday, but the closing time will be unchanged.
KRX Startup Market for trading stocks of startup companies will open and close one hour late, but gold exchange will delay the opening time only. The trading hours for oil and emissions will stay the same.
K-OTC, over-the-counter financial market will also push back trading hours by one hour on Thursday, according to the Korea Financial Investment Association.
Foreign exchange market will open 10:00 a.m., an hour later than its regular opening time. Closing time will be the same at 3:30 p.m.
This year, around 550,000 students will take the state college exam. Public and banking services also open an hour late to ease the traffic in the morning and allow students arrive at exam locations on time. Flights will be suspended from 1:05 p.m. ~ 1:40 p.m. or during the English language listening test hour to prevent noise.
By Ahn Gap-sung and Cho Jeehyun
[¨Ï Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]