KOSPI Surges Past 6,000 for First Time as Samsung, SK Hynix and Hyundai Motor Lead Seoul Market Rally

KOSPI Surges Past 6,000 for First Time as Samsung, SK Hynix and Hyundai Motor Lead Seoul Market Rally​

Seoul shares rallied sharply on Wednesday, with the benchmark index closing above the 6,000 level for the first time, powered by strong gains in technology and automobile stocks. The Korean won also strengthened significantly against the US dollar, while bond yields declined.

KOSPI Hits Record High Above 6,000​

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index KOSPI jumped 114.22 points, or 1.91 percent, to end at a record 6,083.86. During the session, it touched an intraday high of 6,144.71.

The milestone extends the index’s winning streak to five consecutive sessions. In recent weeks, the KOSPI has sustained strong upward momentum, first crossing the 5,000 mark on January 27, then moving past 5,500 on February 12. It climbed above 5,800 on Friday and 5,900 on Tuesday before breaching 6,000 on Wednesday.

Trading activity remained heavy, with 1.39 billion shares changing hands, valued at 33.86 trillion won, equivalent to US$23.7 billion. Advancers outpaced decliners, with 446 stocks rising compared to 433 falling.

Institutional Buying Offsets Foreign Selling​

Institutional investors purchased a net 880.76 billion won worth of stocks, while individual investors bought a net 224.71 billion won. This offset net foreign selling of 1.29 trillion won.

The rally in Seoul mirrored overnight gains on Wall Street, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.76 percent and the Nasdaq Composite gained 1.04 percent.

Market participants are now looking ahead to earnings results from Nvidia Corp., expected later this week, for further direction.

Tech and Auto Stocks Drive Gains​

Technology shares continued to climb as concerns over the disruptive impact of artificial intelligence eased. Retail investors increased their exposure to tech stocks on expectations of a semiconductor supercycle, supporting the broader market.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics rose 1.75 percent to close at 203,500 won. Chipmaker SK Hynix gained 1.29 percent to 1,018,000 won.

Automobile stocks posted even stronger gains. Hyundai Motor surged 9.16 percent to 572,000 won following reports of a possible initial public offering of its US affiliate Boston Dynamics, known for its humanoid robot Atlas. Its affiliate Kia jumped 12.7 percent to 196,100 won.

Among decliners, Hanwha Aerospace fell 2.34 percent to 1,212,000 won, while Hanwha Ocean slipped 0.77 percent to 142,000 won.

Korean Won Strengthens, Bond Yields Ease​

The Korean won was quoted at 1,429.40 against the US dollar at 3:30 p.m., strengthening by 13.1 won from the previous session.

In the bond market, prices moved higher. The yield on three-year Treasurys fell 3 basis points to 3.124 percent, while the five-year government bond yield declined 3 basis points to 3.380 percent.

Despite the rally, investors remained cautious over US President Donald Trump’s push for new tariffs after the Supreme Court struck down his earlier sweeping duties. A new 10 percent global tariff has taken effect, with the possibility of a further increase to 15 percent, although no formal order has yet been issued.