SEOUL, January 13 (AJP) - Asian equities were mostly higher on Tuesday, led by sharp gains in Japan and Korea.
In Seoul, the KOSPI rose 1.5 percent to close at a fresh high of 4,692.6, helped by gains in autos, energy and industrial shares. In contrast, the tech-heavy KOSDAQ edged down 0.1 percent to finish at 948.9.
Among blue-chip stocks, Samsung Electronics edged down 0.7 percent to 137,900 won ($93.5), while SK hynix slid down 1.4 percent to 738,000 won, weighing on the broader market.
Automakers led the market higher, with Hyundai Motor surging 10.6 percent to close at 406,000 won, marking one of the strongest performances among large-cap stocks and providing a key lift to the benchmark index.
The rally came after Hyundai Motor showcased its latest advances in humanoid robotics and autonomous driving at CES 2026, while investor sentiment was further supported by the appointment of a global autonomous-driving expert to lead its software-defined vehicle and self-driving strategy.
Energy, defense and industrial shares also posted strong gains. Hanwha Systems jumped 13.8 percent to 88,400 won, while POSCO Holdings advanced 14.1 percent to 353,000 won. Samsung SDI climbed 7.6 percent to 299,000 won, extending gains in battery-related shares. Shipbuilding and utility stocks moved higher as well, with Hanwha Ocean
rising 2.6 percent to 149,400 won and Korea Electric Power Corp. gaining 8.6 percent to close at 55,400 won.
The Korean won weakened against the U.S. dollar, trading at 1,474.1 after losing 6.1 versus the dollar on continued foreign selling and global-wide greenback strengthening.
Elsewhere in Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 3.1 percent to close at 53,549.2, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.7 percent to 26,783. In contrast, China’s Shanghai Composite edged down 0.6 percent to finish at 4,138.8, as investors took profits following the recent rally.
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