Geopolitical tensions have escalated as the U.S. and Iran resume military confrontations, leading to a weak start for the domestic stock market on the first trading day of September. Foreign and institutional investors are both engaging in net selling, causing declines in major semiconductor stocks such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.
As of 9:10 a.m., the KOSPI index has fallen by 39.18 points (0.57%) to 6,780.84 compared to the previous trading day.
In the securities market, individual investors have made a net purchase of 279.8 billion won. In contrast, foreign and institutional investors have sold a net 124.6 billion won and 179.1 billion won, respectively, contributing to the index's decline.
Most of the top market capitalization stocks are experiencing losses. Samsung Electronics is trading at 256,500 won, down 1.35% from the previous day, while SK Hynix has decreased by 0.42% to 1,667,000 won. Other declining stocks include Samsung Electronics preferred shares (-0.59%), SK Square (-1.74%), Samsung Electro-Mechanics (-2.40%), LG Energy Solution (-1.46%), and Hyundai Motor (-1.12%). However, Shinhan Financial Group (1.93%) and Kia (0.31%) are seeing gains.
At the same time, the KOSDAQ index has dropped by 5.98 points (0.72%) to 828.31 compared to the previous trading day.
Among the top KOSDAQ stocks, Alteogen (-1.30%), EcoPro (-2.41%), EcoPro BM (-2.98%), Rainbow Robotics (-0.98%), Rino Technology (-1.20%), and HPSP (-2.89%) are all down. Conversely, HLB has risen by 1.97%, and Samchundang Pharm is up 0.24%.
Overnight, U.S. markets also fell as military confrontations between the U.S. and Iran resumed after a month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped by 0.70%, the S&P 500 fell by 0.33%, and the Nasdaq Composite decreased by 0.12%.
The renewed military tensions between the U.S. and Iran have led to rising international oil prices and U.S. Treasury yields, putting pressure on investor sentiment. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned of a strong response to any further U.S. attacks, stating that it maintains over 90% of its missile stockpile in response to the resumption of U.S. airstrikes.
Lee Kyung-min, a researcher at Daishin Securities, explained, "The resumption of military clashes between the U.S. and Iran continues to escalate tensions in the Middle East." He also noted that President Donald Trump has reiterated calls for interest rate cuts, emphasizing that the benchmark rate should remain at the lowest levels globally.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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