Foreigners Sell Over 1 Trillion Won... KOSPI Retreats Below 2670 Level

KOSPI Faces Heavy Net Selling... Significant Impact on Low PBR Stocks

The KOSPI index retreated below the 2670 level as net foreign selling exceeded 1 trillion won. This came just one day after breaking through the 2700 mark for the first time in 1 year and 11 months on the 14th.

On the 15th, the KOSPI index closed at 2666.84, down 1.91% from the previous trading day. The index, which started lower, widened its losses from the opening due to persistent foreign selling pressure.

On this day, foreigners net sold 1.0379 trillion won in the KOSPI market. Institutional investors also net sold 61.7 billion won. Only individuals net bought 1.0177 trillion won. Program trading was also dominated by selling, recording a net sale of 1.4 trillion won in total.

Most of the top market capitalization stocks also declined. Samsung Electronics (-2.69%), SK Hynix (-0.43%), LG Energy Solution (-4.21%), Samsung Biologics (-1.67%), Hyundai Motor (-3.18%), and Kia (-2.72%) all fell consecutively. Among the top 20 stocks, only Celltrion (0.78%) and Hyundai Mobis (1.51%) closed higher.

By sector, retail (-4.84%) led the declines, followed by transportation and warehousing (-2.80%), electrical and electronics (-2.46%), insurance (-2.23%), machinery (-1.94%), finance (-1.89%), manufacturing (-1.88%), securities (-1.84%), transportation equipment (-1.74%), services (-1.21%), and steel and metals (-1.20%), all falling together. Notably, stocks with low price-to-book ratios (PBR), which had been favored by foreign investors, showed more pronounced declines.

Kang Jin-hyuk, a researcher at Shinhan Investment Corp., said, "The overnight release of the U.S. Producer Price Index (PPI) came as a surprise, causing significant market shock," adding, "The won-dollar exchange rate also rose by 13 won, creating an unfavorable environment for foreign demand."

Meanwhile, the KOSDAQ also closed down 0.80% at 880.46. The index started lower, and its decline was relatively smaller compared to the KOSPI.

By investor type, institutions and foreigners net sold 100.3 billion won and 75.5 billion won respectively, while individuals alone net bought 180.7 billion won.

Most of the top market capitalization stocks also declined. EcoPro BM (-3.75%), EcoPro (-1.31%), HLB (-0.10%), Alteogen (-0.10%), and Celltrion Pharm (-1.19%) all closed lower.

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