SEOUL, April 21 (AJP) — The KOSPI ended as a winner amid broadly positive Asian trade Tuesday, breaking post-war highs on a renewed chip rally ahead of SK hynix’s earnings report later this week.
The benchmark KOSPI rose 2.7 percent to close at 6,388.47, a new record closing high, amid a tight tug-of-war between institutional buying and retail profit-taking.
Foreign investors led the advance, purchasing a net 1.33 trillion won ($905 million), while institutions added 737.1 billion won. Retail investors sold a net 1.92 trillion won, taking profits into the rally.
Gainers outnumbered losers 457 to 410, underscoring the uneven breadth behind the index’s record run.
Chipmakers drove the momentum. Samsung Electronics rose 2.1 percent to 219,000 won, while SK hynix climbed 5 percent to 1,224,000 won after briefly touching an intraday high of 1,228,000 won before trimming gains ahead of its Thursday earnings release.
Battery-related shares posted outsized gains, with LG Energy Solution surging 11.4 percent to 478,000 won as sector-wide buying intensified.
Hyundai Motor also advanced 3.6 percent to 546,000 won, supporting the broader index.
By sector, electric equipment jumped 11.8 percent, electronic equipment and devices rose 8.6 percent, and paper and wood products gained 8.1 percent, with secondary battery and lithium-related themes leading momentum.
Not all sectors participated in the rally.
Samsung Biologics slipped 1.1 percent to 1,588,000 won, while Hanwha Aerospace fell 2.4 percent to 1,391,000 won.
Shares of HYBE declined 2.4 percent to 249,000 won after reports that Chairman Bang Si-hyuk faces a potential arrest over alleged misconduct tied to the firm’s IPO, weighing on investor sentiment.
The tech-heavy KOSDAQ also closed higher, rising 0.4 percent to 1,179.03, though gains were more modest compared with the main board.
Individuals bought a net 500.8 billion won, while foreigners and institutions sold 349.4 billion won and 121 billion won, respectively.
Battery-related names led gains on the secondary board, with EcoPro rising 5.2 percent to 163,700 won and EcoPro BM advancing 5 percent to 220,500 won.
Among other stocks, Leeno Industrial gained 1.6 percent to 118,500 won, while Rainbow Robotics fell 1.2 percent to 601,000 won.
Regional markets were broadly positive. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.9 percent to 59,345.8, led by semiconductor shares following overnight strength in the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.4 percent to 26,456.8, while China’s Shanghai Composite edged down 0.03 percent to 4,080.7.
The Korean won finished little changed at 1,472.30 per dollar.
Market volatility increased, with the CBOE Volatility Index rising 8 percent to 18.87.
Oil prices declined as expectations for renewed U.S.-Iran negotiations eased supply concerns. Brent crude fell 0.7 percent to $94.79 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate dropped 0.9 percent to $86.60.
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