South Korean Shares Hit Fresh Record on Auto Gains

2026-01-19 02:16 By Erika Ordonez 1 min. read

The benchmark KOSPI rose 1.32% to close at 4,905 on Monday, extending gains to fresh record highs, led by strength in auto stocks.

Hyundai Motor and Kia surged 16.22% and 12.18%, respectively, after posting a record combined 11.3% share of the US auto market in 2025.

Sentiment was supported by evidence that the group has remained resilient to US tariff pressures, aided by expanded local production capacity, a flexible manufacturing strategy, and rapidly growing hybrid vehicle sales.

The index also benefited from strong momentum following last week’s record close, underpinned by institutional and foreign positioning, optimism over upcoming earnings, and spillover strength across cyclical sectors.

Additional gains were seen in SK Hynix (1.06%), Samsung Electronics (0.27%), Hanwha Aerospace (2.39%), and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (4.18%).

Meanwhile, semiconductor shares were mixed, reflecting profit-taking at elevated levels and lingering uncertainty over potential US chip tariffs.



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