South Korean Shares Slide to Over 2-Month Low

2026-07-14 03:45 By Erika Ordonez 1 min. read

The benchmark KOSPI slipped nearly 3% to around 6,610 on Tuesday, extending losses to its lowest level since late April amid renewed selling in heavyweight chipmakers.

SK Hynix fell roughly 8% after its US-listed shares tumbled 9.3% overnight, while Samsung Electronics dropped more than 2%.

Other notable decliners included SK Square (-5.9%), Hyundai Motor (-8.7%), LG Energy Solution (-3.4%), KB Financial Group (-2.4%), HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (-5.3%), Doosan Enerbility (-6.4%), and Hanwha Aerospace (-7.1%).

Retail investors were heavy net sellers, while broader market sentiment remained cautious ahead of earnings reports from major chipmakers and US technology companies for fresh signals on AI demand and capital spending.

Additionally, heightened Middle East tensions after the US reinstated a blockade of Iranian ports and President Donald Trump announced a 20% charge on cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz kept oil prices elevated and dampened global risk appetite.



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South Korean Shares Slide to Over 2-Month Low
The benchmark KOSPI slipped nearly 3% to around 6,610 on Tuesday, extending losses to its lowest level since late April amid renewed selling in heavyweight chipmakers. SK Hynix fell roughly 8% after its US-listed shares tumbled 9.3% overnight, while Samsung Electronics dropped more than 2%. Other notable decliners included SK Square (-5.9%), Hyundai Motor (-8.7%), LG Energy Solution (-3.4%), KB Financial Group (-2.4%), HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (-5.3%), Doosan Enerbility (-6.4%), and Hanwha Aerospace (-7.1%). Retail investors were heavy net sellers, while broader market sentiment remained cautious ahead of earnings reports from major chipmakers and US technology companies for fresh signals on AI demand and capital spending. Additionally, heightened Middle East tensions after the US reinstated a blockade of Iranian ports and President Donald Trump announced a 20% charge on cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz kept oil prices elevated and dampened global risk appetite.
2026-07-14
South Korean Shares Edge Higher
The benchmark KOSPI rose 0.5% to around 6,840 on Tuesday, edging higher after hitting an over two-month low in the previous session as bargain hunting emerged following a sharp selloff in AI-related chipmakers. Heavyweight technology stocks led the recovery, with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix advancing 5.5% and 4.1%, respectively, after plunging nearly 11% and a record 15% in the previous session. Other notable gainers included SK Square (2.2%), LS Electric (2.8%), and Hyosung Heavy Industries (1.1%). However, gains remained limited as investors continued to monitor heightened Middle East tensions after the US reinstated a blockade of Iranian ports and President Donald Trump announced a 20% charge on cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz, lifting oil prices and weighing on global risk sentiment. Investors also looked ahead to earnings reports from major chipmakers and large US technology companies for fresh signals on AI demand and capital spending plans.
2026-07-14
South Korean Shares Hit Over 2-Month Low
The benchmark KOSPI plunged 8.95% to close at 6,807 on Monday, hitting its lowest level since late April, as renewed US-Iran military strikes and a surge in oil prices dampened global risk appetite. Tehran claimed it had closed the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns over potential disruptions to oil shipments. The selloff was led by technology shares, with SK Hynix (-15.46%) tumbling as investors locked in profits following its Nasdaq debut on Friday, while analysts cited easing optimism over near-term earnings and slower-than-expected HBM4 shipment growth. Samsung Electronics (-10.53%), SK Square (-17.67%), Samsung Electro-Mechanics (-19.07%), and Hyundai Motor (-3.61%) also declined. Broader sentiment toward South Korea's semiconductor sector remained fragile after the KOSPI shed almost 8% last week. Meanwhile, the Bank of Korea said the AI-driven chip supercycle remains intact, citing continued supply constraints and robust global demand for advanced memory chips.
2026-07-13