Global Market: South Korean shares set to end seven-week losing streak

South Korean shares were poised to end a seven-week losing streak, with the Kospi rising 0.82% to a three-week high, supported by AI-driven chip gains and stronger U.S. technology stocks. SK Hynix and automakers advanced, while Samsung Electronics...

TIL Creatives

The tech-heavy index marked its fifth consecutive session of gains, rising 9.4% during the period after losing nearly 31% over the previous seven weeks.

South Korean shares were on track to snap a seven-week losing streak on Friday, with the benchmark Kospi climbing to a three-week high as chipmakers rallied on optimism surrounding artificial intelligence, according to a Reuters report.

The Kospi was up 55.55 points, or 0.82%, at 6,868.89 as of 0132 GMT, after gaining as much as 2.9% earlier in the session. The index pared some gains as investors turned cautious ahead of a public holiday on Monday.

The tech-heavy index marked its fifth consecutive session of gains, rising 9.4% during the period after losing nearly 31% over the previous seven weeks. Market volatility has also eased, with the volatility index at 56 on Friday, down sharply from a record high of 98 in late June.


According to Reuters, South Korean stocks were also supported by gains in U.S. technology shares after the S&P 500 closed at a record high on Thursday. A softer-than-expected U.S. producer inflation reading strengthened expectations that the Federal Reserve will leave interest rates unchanged at its September meeting.

Among major KOSPI stocks, SK Hynix gained 3.01%, while Samsung Electronics slipped 0.37% after rising more than 2% earlier in the session. LG Energy Solution declined 1.37%.

Auto stocks were among the stronger performers, with Hyundai Motor rising 5.73% and Kia Corp gaining 1.97%. POSCO Holdings advanced 1.08%, while Samsung BioLogics fell 1.09%.
ADVERTISEMENT

Of the 903 stocks traded, 453 advanced and 420 declined. Foreign investors were net buyers of South Korean shares worth 780.2 billion won ($550.81 million).

The South Korean won strengthened 0.16% to 1,416.3 per dollar from its previous close of 1,418.6.

In the bond market, September futures on three-year Treasury bonds gained 0.04 point to 103.33. The yield on the most liquid three-year Korean Treasury bond fell 0.6 basis points to 3.774%, while the benchmark 10-year yield declined 1.1 basis points to 4.282%.

The report stated that the broader improvement in sentiment comes as investors weigh easing inflation pressures in the United States against the prospect of continued gains in technology and AI-related stocks.
ADVERTISEMENT
READ MORE

READ MORE:

LOGIN & CLAIM

50 TIMESPOINTS

More from our Partners

Loading next story
Business News › Markets › US Stocks › News › Global Market: South Korean shares set to end seven-week losing streak
Text Size:AAA
Success
This article has been saved

*

+