KOSPI Balances Around 2700... Fears of Tightening and Invasion

On the 14th, dealers are working in the dealing room of Hana Bank in Euljiro, Seoul. On this day, the KOSPI index opened at 2715.10, down 32.61 points (1.19%) from the previous trading day. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Junho] On the morning of the 16th, the stock market showed mixed trends. With the conflict between Russia and Ukraine unresolved, stock prices have been fluctuating due to various factors such as the normalization of U.S. monetary policy and rising international oil prices.

As of 10:14 a.m., the KOSPI recorded 2705.53, up 1.05 points (0.04%). The index is being supported by individual investors who are net buyers worth 102.7 billion KRW. However, foreign and institutional investors are net sellers of 58 billion KRW and 47.2 billion KRW respectively, causing the KOSPI to fluctuate around the 2700 mark.

Among all listed stocks, 438 are showing gains. Among the top market capitalization stocks, Hyundai Motor's rise (3.12%) stands out. This appears to be influenced by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's announcement to actively support domestic automakers and parts companies, including Hyundai Motor Group, in their transition to future vehicles by launching a new national project worth 120 billion KRW in eco-friendly and autonomous vehicle sectors this year. However, the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA) also forecasted that if the war between Russia and Ukraine escalates to localized conflicts, domestic sales in Russia could drop by about 10%, and if it expands to a full-scale war, sales could decrease by approximately 29%.

Besides Hyundai Motor, LG Chem rose 2.91%, and Samsung SDI maintained a 2.66% increase. Samsung Electronics, the perennial market leader, recorded a 0.41% rise to 74,000 KRW.

By industry, the paper and wood sector showed the highest increase with a 3.71% rise, influenced by soaring European paper prices. Moorim Paper rose 29.98% to 3,035 KRW, and Shinpung Paper also increased by 15.68%. In addition to paper and wood, transportation equipment, warehousing, and chemical sectors are also showing gains in the 1% range.

The KOSDAQ also recorded 860.12, up 7.43 points (0.87%) at this time. Individual and institutional investors are net buyers of 9.2 billion KRW and 13.1 billion KRW respectively, while foreign investors are net sellers of 15.2 billion KRW.

Among all stocks, 996 are on the rise. The gains of stocks that started the session with upward momentum are increasing. Representative stocks include Pearl Abyss (5.05%), L&F (4.86%), WeMade (3.30%), and EcoPro BM (3.09%). By sector, digital (2.66%), electrical and electronics (1.77%), chemical (1.64%), and IT components (1.61%) are showing strength.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.