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According to Yonhap News,

(SEOUL=Yonhap News) South Korea's top 10 conglomerates have seen their stock market capitalization rise over the past year, but their proportion of the total market value inch down, data showed Monday.

The combined value of the largest listed business groups stood at 996.05 trillion won (US$923.08 billion) as of last Wednesday, up 17.2 percent, or 146 trillion won, over the past year, according to the data by the country's bourse operator, the Korea Exchange (KRX).

The growth is mainly attributable to good performances by the stocks of semiconductors and IT-related firms, according to the KRX.

But their market share fell by 1.4 percentage points to 51.5 percent this year, as the results of the leading firms fell short of the gross market value growth of 20.4 percent, according to the KRX.

Samsung Group, whose flagship is global tech giant Samsung Electronics Co., retained the top spot with its market cap jumping 15.5 percent to 525.05 trillion won, the data showed.

SK Group came next with 134.4 trillion won, which saw its market value surging 39 percent. The market cap of LG Group soared 29.2 percent over the past year to come to 105.86 trillion won.

But Hyundai Motor Group, which ranked fourth in market value, suffered a setback of 11 percent, or 98.12 trillion won, the KRX said.

The country's top automaker posted a 21 percent on-year decline in its annual net profit for 2017 due mainly to a strong won and lower demand in China and the United States, according to the company and analysts.

POSCO, Lotte Group, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Hanhwa Group, and Shinsegye Group saw their market cap move up over the past year, while the value of GS, which ranked tenth, drop 6.6 percent to 12.36 trillion won, the data showed.

By company, POSCO Chemtech, one of leading affiliates of the global steelmaker, enjoyed the highest growth rate with its shares surging 227.6 percent, followed by Shinsegye I&C and Samsung Biologics, which saw their market caps more than double.

In contrast, Hanwha Techwin tumbled the most by 33.3 percent, followed by GS Retail 32.6 percent, and Hyundai Rotem 25.7 percent, according to the KRX.

sam@yna.co.kr

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Source: Yonhap News (Mar. 25, 2018)