South Korean Shares End Lower

2026-08-18 06:47 By Erika Ordonez 1 min. read

The benchmark KOSPI fell 1.55% to close at 6,870 on Tuesday, snapping a five-day rally, as fading hopes for a US-Iran deal prompted profit-taking following a sharp semiconductor-led rally.

Foreign investors remained net buyers of Korean equities, while retail investors and institutions sold, suggesting the pullback was driven more by profit-taking than a broad retreat from Korean assets.

Samsung Electronics slipped 2.00%, along with notable losses in SK Square (-2.17%), Hyundai Motor (-4.42%), LG Energy Solution (-5.01%), Hanwha Aerospace (-1.29%), Kia Corporation (-3.39%), HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (-4.12%), and Doosan Enerbility (-5.57%).

Additionally, renewed uncertainty over the US-Iran agreement pushed oil prices higher and revived inflation concerns, while elevated Treasury yields added to pressure on global risk appetite.

Ongoing US-Korea trade negotiations over the planned US$200 billion investment commitment also remained a source of uncertainty for Korean exporters.



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South Korean Shares End Lower
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