{
  "id": 17027853,
  "title": "(LEAD) Seoul shares down 1.24 pct as Samsung disappoints on shareholder returns",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/lead-seoul-shares-down-1-24-pct-as-samsung-disappoints-on-shareholder",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-29T07:21:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yonhap News",
    "slug": "yonhap-news",
    "url": "https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20261029009451320"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "South Korean stocks slipped 1.24 percent on Thursday following Samsung Electronics' third-quarter earnings that fell short of expectations and failed to provide details on its shareholder-return plan. The Korean won strengthened against the U.S. dollar. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 74.78 points to 5,937.66, after peaking at 6,100.11 earlier. On Wednesday, the KOSPI surged more than 6 percent, fueled by chipmakers' strong performance, after SK hynix reported record earnings and announced more shareholder returns. However, the market turned lower around 10 a.m., after Samsung's earnings were released. Samsung reported a record third-quarter operating profit of 107.44 trillion won (US$80.3 billion), a 783.1 percent increase from the previous year, and revenue rose 126.9 percent to 195.25 trillion won, driven by robust demand for AI-driven chips. Despite the strong results, investor sentiment was dampened by the lack of information on Samsung's shareholder-return plan. Analyst Lee Kyung-min from Daishin Securities estimated Samsung's total shareholder returns for 2026 would range between 90 trillion won and 110 trillion won, of which 35 trillion won had already been planned or distributed. The rest of the 55 trillion won to 75 trillion won was not disclosed. Trading volume was light, with 279.7 million shares exchanged worth 24.9 trillion won, and advancers outnumbering decliners 593 to 270. Foreign and individual investors bought a combined 108.2 billion won, while institutions sold 446.9 billion won. Samsung Electronics' stock dropped 4.13 percent to 232,000 won, while SK hynix gained 2.62 percent to 1.53 million won. LG Energy Solution, a battery maker, fell 8.6 percent to 356,000 won after its largest shareholder, LG Chem, decided to sell a significant stake. SK Square, SK hynix's parent company, rose 3.47 percent to 953,000 won, and Samsung Electro-Mechanics, an electronics component subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, declined 1 percent to 1.29 million won. The Korean won closed at 1,336.8 won per U.S. dollar, up 0.9 won from the previous session's close.",
  "summary": "SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- South Korean shares dropped 1.24 percent Thursday fol...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Tech in Asia",
        "title": "Samsung SDI swings to $255m Q3 profit but misses forecasts",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/samsung-sdi-swings-to-255m-q3-profit-but-misses-forecasts",
        "published": "2026-10-29T00:57:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Samsung Electronics' Q3 dividend jumps 12-fold, totals to $22.5 bil.",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/samsung-electronics-q3-dividend-jumps-12-fold-totals-to-22-5-bil",
        "published": "2026-10-29T01:07:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}