South Korean shares closed higher for a fourth day on Thursday after US President Donald Trump signed a bill on Wednesday to end the US government shutdown. Both chambers of Congress had voted to end the shutdown.
The Korea Composite Stock Price Index or Kospi rose 20.24 points, or 0.5%, to end at 4,170.63. The Kosdaq also increased by 11.86 points, or 1.31%, to close at 918.37.
In economic news, South Korea's money supply increased in September, with the broad money, or M2, rising 0.7% to 4,430.5 trillion won from 4,400.2 trillion won a month earlier, the Bank of Korea said Wednesday.
M2 is a gauge of the money supply that encompasses cash, demand deposits, and other readily convertible financial instruments.
The country's narrow money, or M1, increased 1.4% to 1,330.6 trillion won in the month from 1,312.8 trillion won in August.
In corporate news, Samsung Life Insurance (KRX:032830) posted third-quarter net income attributable to shareholders of 723 billion won, up 7.3% from 673.6 billion won the year earlier, according to a Thursday filing with the Korea Exchange.
Sales were also up 35% year over year to 7.486 trillion won from 5.543 trillion won.
Shares of the life insurance company rose nearly 1% at market close.
