The KOSPI index fell more than 4% on August 6, dragged down by significant selling from foreign and institutional investors, dropping below the 6200 mark. The volatility in the market increased, prompting a sell-side circuit breaker to be activated during trading. In contrast, the KOSDAQ index rose for the fifth consecutive day, recovering above 800.
According to the Korea Exchange, the KOSPI closed at 6296.38, down 301.88 points (4.58%) from the previous trading day. The index opened at 6478.75, down 119.51 points (1.81%), and the decline accelerated throughout the session. A sell-side circuit breaker was triggered around 10:18 a.m., marking the 24th such occurrence this year.
In the securities market, foreign and institutional investors sold a net 33.27 trillion won and 1.22 trillion won, respectively. Meanwhile, individual investors purchased a net 33.39 trillion won.
Among the top market capitalization stocks, SK Hynix fell 10.07%, and SK Square dropped 13.14%. Other notable declines included Samsung Electro-Mechanics (-8.92%), Samsung Electronics (-6.50%), Samsung C&T (-4.17%), Samsung Life (-3.57%), and Hyundai Motor (-1.36%). Conversely, Hanwha Aerospace (3.97%), LG Energy Solution (2.24%), Samsung Biologics (1.27%), and KB Financial (0.29%) saw gains.
The KOSDAQ index closed at 801.67, up 2.08 points (0.26%) from the previous day. It opened at 797.44, down 2.15 points (0.27%), before turning upward and surpassing the 800 mark. During the session, it reached a high of 813.54. The index has been on an upward trend since July 31.
In the KOSDAQ market, individual and institutional investors bought a net 859 billion won and 1.615 trillion won, respectively, while foreign investors sold a net 2.482 trillion won.
The top KOSDAQ stocks showed mixed performance. IOTech (5.96%), Alteogen (5.60%), ABL Bio (3.62%), EcoPro (1.82%), EcoPro BM (0.98%), Rino Technology (0.60%), HLB (0.57%), and Rainbow Robotics (0.52%) all gained. In contrast, Juseong Engineering (-6.65%) and Wonik IPS (-5.22%) declined.
Lee Kyung-min, a researcher at Daishin Securities, noted, "Investor sentiment in the domestic market has weakened regarding memory-related stocks, leading to a sharp decline in the semiconductor sector, which has driven the index lower. The sell-side circuit breaker was activated as the decline expanded during the session." He added, "There was a rotation among sectors, with consumer goods and steel showing differentiated performance across industries."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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