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Kosdaq vaults past 1,000 as reform drive fuels tech rally
South Korea's secondary bourse, the Kosdaq, surged past the 1,000-point mark Monday, after spending four years below the level. The sharp rally even triggered a temporary trading halt designed to curb excessive volatility. The tech-heavy index closed at 1,064.41, up 70.48 points, or 7.09 percent, from the previous session, and slightly lower than its day-high at 1,064.44, according to the Korea Exchange. After opening at 1,003.9, the index remained above the 1,000 mark throughout the trading day
Jan. 26, 2026 -
Kosdaq breaks 1,000, buy-side halt triggered
South Korea’s secondary bourse, the Kosdaq, surged past the 1,000-point mark during trading Monday, buoyed by renewed investor optimism and triggering a temporary trading halt designed to curb excessive volatility. The Kosdaq opened at 1,003.90, up 9.97 points, or 1 percent, from the previous session, according to the Korea Exchange. It marked the first time the index climbed above 1,000 in intraday trading since Jan. 6, 2022, when it touched 1,003.01. The index extended its gains in early tradi
Jan. 26, 2026 -
Seoul stocks open higher ahead of US rate-setting meeting, earnings reports
South Korean stocks opened higher Monday ahead of this week's major events, including the Federal Reserve's rate decision and releases of fourth-quarter earnings reports from major firms, such as Samsung Electronics. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index increased 27.11 points, or 0.54 percent, to 5,017.18 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Investors have been enjoying decent gains this year, with the KOSPI widely expected to finish at above the 5,000-point threshold, aided by gains in techs an
Jan. 26, 2026 -
Seoul shares up for 3rd day to close at fresh peak, just shy of 5,000
South Korean stocks closed higher Friday at a fresh peak, led by gains in technology and brokerage shares, after hitting another intraday record high. The Korean won increased against the US dollar. After a choppy session, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index went up 37.54 points, or 0.76 percent, to close at 4,990.07. Trade volume was heavy at 595.6 million shares worth 29.6 trillion won ($20.2 billion), with winners far outpacing losers 677 to 212. Institutions and foreigners purcha
Jan. 23, 2026 -
Kospi tops 5,020 to set new record
Seoul’s benchmark Kospi extended its rally Friday, setting a fresh all-time high above 5,020, a day after first breaking through the 5,000 mark. The index opened 0.64 percent higher at 4,952.53 and reclaimed the 5,000 mark within minutes. After swinging around the milestone amid jittery early trading, the gauge advanced to an intraday peak of 5,021.13, surpassing Thursday’s record of 5,019.54. The benchmark remained volatile, swinging around the low-5,000 range as of 10 a.m. Retail investors ini
Jan. 23, 2026 -
Seoul stocks open sharply higher, set for fresh peak
South Korean stocks opened sharply higher Friday, heading toward a fresh peak after US stocks climbed sharply. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index increased 43.35 points, or 0.88 percent, to 4,995.88 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, US stocks extended gains from the previous session as easing geopolitical risks and stable inflation data boosted investor confidence. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.63 percent, and the S&P 500 added 0.55 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite I
Jan. 23, 2026 -
Coupang investors seek US probe over South Korea's handling of data leak
SAN FRANCSICO/SEOUL (Reuters) -- Two major US investors in Coupang Inc said on Thursday they have petitioned the US government to investigate the South Korean government and potentially impose trade remedies over what they describe as discriminatory treatment of the e-commerce company. Tech investors Greenoaks and Altimeter said they have also filed arbitration claims against South Korea under the US–Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS), accusing Seoul of mounting a campaign against Coupang foll
Jan. 22, 2026 -
FOMO kicks in as Kospi touches 'once-unthinkable' 5,000
South Korea’s benchmark stock index briefly crossed the once-unthinkable 5,000 mark in early trading Thursday, a historic milestone that stirred jubilation across the country. But for many watching from the sidelines, the moment left a bitter aftertaste, a sense of having missed the rally. The Kospi index finished the day at 4,952.53, after touching an intraday high of 5,019.54, marking the first time in history the index crossed the 5,000-point threshold. Compared with a year ago, when it close
Jan. 22, 2026 -
Seoul shares close higher, climb above landmark 5,000 mark in midday trading
South Korean shares closed higher Thursday, buoyed by major tech giants, after briefly topping the 5,000-point mark for the first time. The local currency strengthened against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 42.6 points, or 0.87 percent, to close at 4,952.53. Trade volume was moderate at 544.3 million shares worth 32.5 trillion won ($22.1 billion), with gainers outpacing losers 563 to 315. Individual investors purchased a net 156.4 billion won worth of shares,
Jan. 22, 2026 -
Kospi tops 5,000, raising hopes Korea discount is easing
South Korea’s benchmark stock index Kospi surged past the 5,000-point mark for the first time during trading Thursday, raising expectations that the long-standing “Korea discount” — a term referring to the relatively low valuation of domestic stocks — may finally be fading. The Kospi soared past the 5,000 mark shortly after the opening bell and reached as high as 5,019.54 during trading. The index later pared some of its gains and closed at 4,952.53, up 0.87 percent from the previous session and
Jan. 22, 2026 -
Kospi tops another milestone of 5,000 points
South Korean stocks opened sharply higher Thursday and hit another intraday record, briefly topping the 5,000-point level. After opening nearly 2 percent higher, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) surpassed the historic mark at 9:01 a.m. It marked the first time the index crossed 5,000 points since the country's stock market began trading 70 years ago. The KOSPI has witnessed dramatic swings in recent years. It plunged to around 1,500 in March 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic
Jan. 22, 2026 -
Seoul stocks open sharply higher, briefly topping 5,000 mark
South Korean stocks opened sharply higher Thursday, briefly topping the 5,000-point mark for the first time in history. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index increased 83.07 points, or 1.69 percent, to 4,993 in the first 15 minutes of trading. The benchmark index surpassed the historic 5,000 level for the first time shortly after the market opened. Overnight, US stocks climbed, recovering a significant portion of losses in the previous session after US President Donald Trump retracted his earlie
Jan. 22, 2026 -
Kospi makes history crossing 5,000
South Korea’s benchmark stock index surged past the 5,000 mark in early trading Thursday, raising expectations that the long-standing “Korea discount” — a term referring to the relatively low valuation of domestic stocks — may finally be fading. The index opened at 4,987.06, and quickly surged over 5,000. It surged to as high as 5,011.15 as of 9:08 a.m. Individual investors are leading the rally, net buying 298 billion won ($204 million), while foreign investors and institutional investors are o
Jan. 22, 2026 -
Seoul shares close higher as investors hunt bargains amid geopolitical woes
Seoul shares closed higher Wednesday as investors hunted for bargains amid looming market volatility sparked by US President Donald Trump's push to take control of Greenland. The local currency gained against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 24.18 points, or 0.49 percent, to close at 4,909.93. Trade volume was moderate at 590 million shares worth 28.8 trillion won ($19.6 billion), with losers far outpacing gainers 711 to 185. Foreigners bought a net 439 billion
Jan. 21, 2026 -
Seoul stocks open lower as Wall Street tumbles on geopolitical uncertainties
South Korean stocks opened lower Wednesday, tracking an overnight slump on Wall Street, as investors expressed concerns US President Donald Trump's push for Greenland may lead to market volatility. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index went down 26.1 points, or 0.53 percent, to 4,859.65 in the first 15 minutes of trading. Overnight, the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite sank 2.39 percent, and the S&P 500 shed 2.06 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.76 percent. The setbacks came after Tru
Jan. 21, 2026