South Korean Shares Rally to Over 1-Month High

2026-09-07 01:40 By Erika Ordonez 1 min. read

The benchmark KOSPI climbed 4.61% to close at 6,995 on Monday, rallying to its highest level since July 23, as gains in semiconductor stocks lifted the index.

The PHLX semiconductor index rose 3.38% on expectations that OpenAI’s new GPT-6 Astra model will boost demand for memory chips.

Samsung Electronics and SK hynix advanced 5.28% and 7.77%, respectively, while SK Square (7.59%), Hyundai Motor (2.09%), Doosan Enerbility (10.98%), Shinhan Financial Group (3.17%), and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (2.41%) also posted notable gains.

At the same time, South Korea’s exports reached a record $709.4 billion so far this year, already surpassing the 2025 annual record, with semiconductor exports jumping 169.6% in January-August, reinforcing expectations for solid corporate earnings and economic growth.

Meanwhile, heightened US-Iran tensions remained a risk, while stronger-than-expected US jobs data increased expectations for a September Fed rate hike and pushed Treasury yields higher.



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South Korean Shares Rally to Over 1-Month High
The benchmark KOSPI climbed 4.61% to close at 6,995 on Monday, rallying to its highest level since July 23, as gains in semiconductor stocks lifted the index. The PHLX semiconductor index rose 3.38% on expectations that OpenAI’s new GPT-6 Astra model will boost demand for memory chips. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix advanced 5.28% and 7.77%, respectively, while SK Square (7.59%), Hyundai Motor (2.09%), Doosan Enerbility (10.98%), Shinhan Financial Group (3.17%), and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (2.41%) also posted notable gains. At the same time, South Korea’s exports reached a record $709.4 billion so far this year, already surpassing the 2025 annual record, with semiconductor exports jumping 169.6% in January-August, reinforcing expectations for solid corporate earnings and economic growth. Meanwhile, heightened US-Iran tensions remained a risk, while stronger-than-expected US jobs data increased expectations for a September Fed rate hike and pushed Treasury yields higher.
2026-09-07
South Korean Shares Extend Gains
The benchmark KOSPI rose 1.64% to close at 6,687 on Friday, extending gains from the previous session, as easing expectations for another US rate hike lifted global risk sentiment. US stocks rallied overnight after Fed Governor Christopher Waller signaled a preference for holding rates steady unless inflation surprises, while the 10-year Treasury yield retreated to 4.77% after reaching its highest level since November 2023. Semiconductor shares also advanced, with Samsung Electronics and SK hynix climbing 2.20% and 3.01%, respectively. Samsung narrowed its HBM market-share gap with SK hynix in Q2, supporting the outlook for Korea’s key chip sector. Gains were also recorded in SK Square (5.71%), Samsung Electro-Mechanics (3.71%), Samsung SDI (1.67%), and LG Electronics (1.15%). Meanwhile, renewed US plans for targeted semiconductor tariffs linked to companies’ domestic production could limit further gains, with details on rates and exemptions yet to be finalized.
2026-09-04
South Korean Shares Recover Slightly
The benchmark KOSPI rose 0.26% to close at 6,579 on Thursday, recovering part of the previous session’s losses as risk sentiment improved following overnight gains on Wall Street and easing Middle East tensions. President Donald Trump said renewed US attacks on Iran would likely be short-lived, while oil prices edged lower, easing concerns over inflation and energy costs. Large-cap performance was mixed, with gains in Hyundai Motor (1.32%), LG Energy Solution (5.32%), KB Financial Group (5.14%), Hanwha Aerospace (2.15%), Doosan Enerbility (3.66%), Shinhan Financial Group (3.80%), and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (2.84%), while Samsung Electronics (-0.20%), SK hynix (-0.74%), and SK Square (-0.20%) declined. Gains were tempered by renewed concerns over potential US semiconductor tariffs, as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the administration is considering a targeted policy tying tariff relief to investment in US chip manufacturing.
2026-09-03