Seoul’s main bourse drew strength from its exposure to Nvidia’s supply chain, as momentum from the U.S. chipmaker’s GTC 2026 conference continued to support investor positioning in artificial intelligence-related stocks.
Brent crude rose 3 percent to $103.23 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate gained 3.6 percent to $96.80, bringing energy risks back into focus as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz intensified.
Across Asia, the divergence was clear. Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.2 percent and China’s Shanghai Composite dropped 0.9 percent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index edged up 0.2 percent.
The benchmark KOSPI rose 1.63 percent to 5,640.48, supported primarily by strong institutional buying that offset selling by foreign and retail investors.
Institutions bought a net 733.8 billion won ($492 million), effectively driving the market higher, while foreigners and individuals sold 173.8 billion won and 575.2 billion won, respectively — highlighting fragile underlying sentiment despite the headline gains.
Technology and AI-linked stocks led the advance.
Samsung Electronics rose 2.8 percent, while SK hynix briefly reclaimed the 1 million won level before paring gains. SK Square added 4.5 percent, reflecting continued positioning in AI infrastructure and platform exposure. Both Samsung Electronics and SK hynix took part in Nvidia’s event as key suppliers of next-generation HBM4 chips.
Gains extended to autos and battery makers, with Hyundai Motor rising 3.2 percent and LG Energy Solution adding 4 percent.
Platform and biotech shares also moved higher. NAVER climbed 2.8 percent, while Samsung Biologics rose 1.2 percent and Celltrion gained 3 percent.
In contrast, defense and energy-related names lagged despite ongoing geopolitical tensions. Hanwha Aerospace fell 5.4 percent and Doosan Enerbility slipped 1.2 percent.
The index, however, gave up much of its intraday gains after rising nearly 3 percent earlier in the session, as higher oil prices and late-session profit-taking weighed on sentiment.
The tech-heavy KOSDAQ underperformed, slipping 0.12 percent to 1,136.94 after surrendering earlier gains.
Foreign and institutional investors led the decline, selling a combined 94.6 billion won, while retail investors stepped in with net purchases of 140.1 billion won.
The reversal underscored weakening momentum in smaller-cap and growth-oriented stocks, in contrast to the relative resilience of large-cap AI-linked names on the KOSPI.
In currency markets, the Korean won held near 1,490 per dollar, supported by a modest pullback in the U.S. currency.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.