KOSPI Ends Slightly Higher Despite Foreigners' 'Buying'... Exchange Rate Returns to 1200 Won Range

KOSDAQ Index Rises 0.22% to Close at 811.11
Won-Dollar Exchange Rate Falls Below 1300 Won for the First Time in Ten Days

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The KOSPI closed slightly higher due to foreign investors' buying dominance.

On the 16th, the KOSPI index closed at 2,488.18, up 1.51 points (0.06%) from the previous session. The index opened at 2,483.48, down 3.19 points (0.13%) from the previous close, and fluctuated between rises and falls throughout the day. It dropped as low as 2,472.69 during the session but ended higher for the third consecutive trading day. Individual and institutional investors sold net amounts worth approximately 392.1 billion KRW and 64.7 billion KRW respectively, while foreign investors bought net amounts worth about 459.2 billion KRW.

Among the top market capitalization stocks, Kia (3.68%), Samsung SDI (1.45%), Hyundai Motor (1.26%), and Samsung Electronics (0.83%) rose, while LG Energy Solution (-1.99%), POSCO Holdings (-1.48%), SK Hynix (-1.34%), and Naver (NAVER) (-1.22%) declined. Samsung Biologics and LG Chem remained flat.

By sector, transportation equipment (1.24%), machinery (1.05%), textiles and apparel (0.89%), electric and gas utilities (0.86%), and medical precision instruments (0.80%) rose. Conversely, food and beverage (-1.11%), steel and metals (-1.03%), services (-0.71%), and transportation and warehousing (-0.60%) sectors fell.

Kim Seok-hwan, a researcher at Mirae Asset Securities, explained, "The KOSPI, which fluctuated throughout the day, narrowed its losses thanks to net buying of spot and futures by foreign investors. Among these, they purchased 204 billion KRW in the electric and electronics sector and 240 billion KRW in Samsung Electronics, continuing their semiconductor 'love call'."

He added, "On the other hand, nearly 1 trillion KRW was sold net in the secondary battery sector. Since November, the domestic stock market has risen more than 9%. Additionally, net buying focused on Kia in the transportation equipment sector showed strength."

The KOSDAQ index closed at 811.11, up 1.75 points (0.22%) from the previous session. Individual investors were the sole net buyers with about 83.4 billion KRW, while foreign and institutional investors sold net amounts worth approximately 21.6 billion KRW and 50.9 billion KRW respectively.

Among the top market capitalization stocks, Ecopro (-3.92%), POSCO DX (-3.70%), Alteogen (-3.04%), Ecopro BM (-3.00%), and L&F (-1.16%) declined, while Rainbow Robotics (4.86%), Celltrion Pharm (4.65%), HLB (2.30%), and Celltrion Healthcare (2.06%) rose. JYP Ent. remained flat.

Meanwhile, the won-dollar exchange rate closed at 1,296.9 KRW, down 3.9 KRW. This is the first time in ten days since the 6th, when it was 1,297.3 KRW, that the closing rate fell below 1,300 KRW.

Reflecting stronger-than-expected U.S. retail data and rising U.S. Treasury yields, the exchange rate showed an upward trend early in the session. U.S. retail sales in October decreased by 0.1% month-on-month, less than the Wall Street estimate of a 0.2% decline. However, as the Asian market began to factor in the possibility of interest rate cuts next year, U.S. Treasury yields fell, and just before the close, the exchange rate broke below the 1,300 KRW level.

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