KOSPI swings as investors weigh Iran hopes and semiconductor-driven tech momentum

Korean stocks opened sharply higher Tuesday, led by gains in tech heavyweights, following a record close for the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite amid revived hopes for artificial intelligence (AI) and a fall in global oil prices and bond yields. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) was up 141.58 points, or 2.02 percent, to 7,149.3 as of 9:15 a.m. On Monday (local time), U.S. stocks rallied, with the Nasdaq Composite rising 2.3 percent. The S&P 500 gained 1.5 percent, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.7 percent. Investor sentiment improved sharply, backed by a broad rally in AI-related stocks as well as falling oil prices and softening U.S. Treasury yields. In Seoul, most market heavyweights traded higher. Top market cap Samsung Electronics rose 2.55 percent, and chip giant SK hynix gained 3.21 percent. SK Square, the parent company of SK hynix, advanced 3.02 percent, while Samsung Electro-Mechanics, an electronics component affiliate of Samsung Electronics, jumped 6.58 percent. The Korean won was trading at 1,369.6 won against the U.S. dollar, up 4.9 won from the

The benchmark KOSPI reclaimed the 7,000 mark on Monday for the first time in seven sessions, lifted by a sharp rise in Samsung Electronics shares after Korea reported record semiconductor exports in September. According to the Korea Exchange, the main index opened at 6,938.34, up 0.64 percent from the previous close, and remained in positive territory throughout the day. It closed at 7,007.72, up 1.65 percent. The Korea Customs Service said exports totaled $71.4 billion from Sept. 1 through 20, up 78.3 percent from a year earlier. Particularly, chip exports more than tripled to $34.12 billion, a 259.4 percent increase that marked a new monthly record. Institutional investors led the buying, scooping up a net 1.49 trillion won ($1.08 billion) in shares. Retail investors and foreign investors, by contrast, were net sellers of 2.98 trillion won and 160.2 billion won, respectively. Samsung Electronics led the rally, climbing as much as 5.36 percent intraday before ultimately closing at 274,000 won, up 4.98 percent. SK hynix also advanced, albeit much more modestly, ending at 1.87 million won

Seoul stocks were trading higher late Monday morning as gains in major chipmakers lifted the broader market, offsetting concerns over Middle East tensions and elevated oil prices. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 106.65 points, or 1.55 percent, to 7,000.88 as of 11:20 a.m. U.S. semiconductor shares rallied Friday, providing a positive cue for major Korean chipmakers. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index jumped 2.78 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.39 percent and the S&P 500 edged up 0.17 percent. Elevated crude oil prices remained a concern amid persistent inflationary and geopolitical risks in the Middle East. Brent crude traded at around US$104.68 a barrel. Market heavyweights were mixed. Top market cap Samsung Electronics jumped 4.21 percent, and chip giant SK hynix gained 0.78 percent. In contrast, leading automaker Hyundai Motor fell 1.1 percent, while battery maker LG Energy Solution shed 3.16 percent. The Korean won was quoted at 1,386.0 won against the U.S. dollar as of 11:12 a.m., down 0.5 won from the close of the previous stock trading ses

Seoul stocks opened higher Monday, led by gains in tech heavyweights, though elevated oil prices and lingering tensions in the Middle East kept investors cautious. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) was up 64.09 points, or 0.93 percent, to 6,958.32 as of 9:15 a.m. Overnight, stocks on Wall Street closed higher as investor sentiment improved on falling oil prices and easing pressures from On Friday, Seoul stocks advanced 2.66 percent as easing inflation concerns lifted investor sentiment. U.S. semiconductor shares rallied Friday, providing a positive cue for major Korean chipmakers. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index jumped 2.78 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.39 percent and the S&P 500 edged up 0.17 percent. Elevated crude oil prices remained a concern amid persistent inflationary and geopolitical risks in the Middle East. Brent crude traded at around $104.68 a barrel. Market heavyweights were mixed. Top market cap Samsung Electronics rose 3.26 percent, and chip giant SK hynix gained 0.22 percent. In contrast, leading automaker Hyundai Motor fell 0.96 perc

KOSPI surged more than 2 percent on Friday, reclaiming the 6,890 threshold, driven by an overnight rally on Wall Street and a resurgence in foreign buying. The main index opened at 6,885.70, up 170.29 points, or 2.54 percent, from the previous close. It briefly climbed to an intraday high of 6,914.08, up 2.96 percent, breaking above the 6,900 level before closing at 6,894.23, up 178.82 points, or 2.66 percent. Foreign and institutional market participants led the buying spree, scooping up a net 438.8 billion won ($317 million) and 1.5 trillion won in equities, respectively. In contrast, retail investors unloaded a net 3.59 trillion won. Notably, this marked the first session of net buying by foreign investors since Sept. 8. The index turned around after holding up relatively well in the previous session, when it fell just 0.04 percent, despite the U.S. Federal Reserve’s hawkish rate hike. Local equities drew significant upward momentum from an overnight rebound across all three major U.S. stock benchmarks, which was further supported by retreating U.S. Treasury yields and cooling global

Seoul stocks advanced by more than 2 percent on Friday on eased inflation woes. The local currency rose against the greenback. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) closed up 178.82 points, or 2.66 percent, at 6,894.23. "The KOSPI has brushed off macro concerns, while foreigners returned to the local market, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) momentum," Lee Kyoung-min, an analyst from Daishin Securities, said. The analyst was referring to the recent drop in oil prices and easing concerns over inflation following the Federal Reserve's decision to hike the base rate by a quarter percentage point for the first time in over three years. Foreign investors, in particular, turned to net buyers after extending their selling binge to a seventh day, Lee added.