STOCKS | South Korea Vows to Prevent Excessive Bond Market Volatility

South Korea's Ministry of Economy and Finance said regulators will closely monitor the domestic bond market, maintain stable management, and guard against sharp market swings. According to Sina Finance, the ministry said the assessment was made after Finance Minister Gu Yoon-cheol chaired a financial market review meeting on Friday. Officials said upward pressure on interest rates remains due to increased sovereign bond issuance, global artificial intelligence companies issuing corporate bonds, expectations of rate hikes in major economies, and higher oil prices from tensions in the Middle East. South Korea will delay by six months a planned increase in the minimum market capitalization threshold for listed companies, and it will allow eligible firms facing delisting risk to transfer to the Korea Composite Stock Price Index Small and Medium Enterprises Market (KONEX) without going through a liquidation trading period.