South Korean stocks jump on Friday, with the KOSPI rising as much as 8.5% after investors gain optimism that tensions in the Middle East could ease. Multiple outlets link the move to signals from U.S. President Donald Trump that the United States is nearing an agreement with Iran this weekend to end the war. The rally comes after a volatile prior week: the KOSPI ended the earlier week down 3.7% amid a global selloff that hit AI and technology stocks, before rebounding to finish the current week up about 3.2%.
Chip-related shares lead the gains. Bloomberg and Business Line both cite strength in Korea’s semiconductor sector, with Samsung and SK Hynix among the notable beneficiaries. NDTV adds that while risk appetite improves, investors also consider whether any U.S.-brokered agreement will be durable. The broader regional picture includes gains in other Asian markets, including Japan’s Nikkei, as investors watch developments related to the Iran negotiations.
