Korea’s four major financial holding companies are on track to deliver another record-breaking performance in the first half of the year, driven by robust interest income and a booming domestic stock market, industry officials said Thursday. However, the outlook for the remainder of the year is expected to be less upbeat as a persistently weak Korean won, the prospect of interest rate hikes by the Bank of Korea and tighter regulatory pressure weigh on profitability. The combined net profit of KB, Shinhan, Hana and Woori financial groups is projected to reach an all-time high of 11.05 trillion won ($7.1 billion), up 5.7 percent from 10.46 trillion won a year earlier, according to market tracker FnGuide. All four groups are expected to post higher net income compared with a year earlier, with KB Financial Group projected to lead with about 3.68 trillion won. Strong first-half earnings were largely driven by steady net interest income amid higher market interest rates, as well as rising noninterest income supported by gains from securities subsidiaries. However, whether this momentum can b