The KOSPI index surged more than 3% in early trading on September 7, surpassing the 6900 mark. Despite a decline in U.S. markets overnight, semiconductor stocks showed strength, with foreign and institutional investors buying shares of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, driving the index higher.
As of 9:05 a.m., the KOSPI was up 209.61 points (3.13%) at 6896.82. At one point, it reached 6910.78, breaking through the 6900 level.
In the securities market, foreign and institutional investors net bought 223.5 billion won and 74.3 billion won, respectively, while individual investors net sold 302 billion won.
Among the top market capitalization stocks, semiconductor shares were particularly strong. Samsung Electronics rose 3.91% to 265,500 won, while SK Hynix increased by 5.34% to 1,735,000 won. Other gainers included SK Square (5.57%) and Samsung Electro-Mechanics (3.35%). Hyundai Motor (1.69%) and KB Financial (1.74%) also saw increases.
The KOSDAQ index was up 11.76 points (1.45%) at 825.26 at the same time. Individual investors net bought 23.6 billion won, while foreign and institutional investors net sold 19.5 billion won and 3.3 billion won, respectively.
Top KOSDAQ stocks generally showed upward trends. EcoPro (0.12%), EcoPro BM (0.09%), and Rainbow Robotics (0.22%) were among those rising. Notably, semiconductor-related stocks such as IOTech (5.53%), Wonik IPS (4.18%), Simtek (3.99%), JUSUNG Engineering (3.87%), and Rino Industry (2.70%) experienced significant gains. In contrast, Alteogen fell by 0.52%.
Overnight, U.S. markets declined amid concerns over interest rate hikes following strong employment data. On September 4, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 0.51%, the S&P 500 dropped by 0.38%, and the Nasdaq Composite decreased by 0.29%. However, the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose by 3.4% as demand for artificial intelligence (AI) continued to gain attention.
Lee Kyung-min, a researcher at Daishin Securities, noted, "The U.S. semiconductor investment demands were officially discussed in the Korea-U.S. investment negotiations. While specific investment methods and amounts have not been determined, the possibility of expanding production facilities in the U.S. for Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix is being mentioned."
Meanwhile, pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump on the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are seen as factors that could increase market volatility. As semiconductor investments are officially on the agenda in the Korea-U.S. negotiations, the potential expansion of production facilities by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix is also drawing market interest.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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