KOSPI Surpasses 7,800 Mark, Buy-Side Sidecar Triggered... Samsung and SK hynix Lead the Rally

KOSPI Soars to 7,816.66 in Early Trading
Individual Investors Lead Buying; Samsung Electronics and SK hynix Surge
KOSDAQ Turns Slightly Negative After Early Gains

The KOSPI index surpassed the 7,800 mark in early trading, reaching an all-time high. The sharp rally attracted strong buying pressure, triggering a buy-side sidecar. Investor sentiment was particularly focused on Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, both of which are expected to benefit from the artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor boom.

On the 11th, when the KOSPI index surpassed the 7,800 mark intraday for the first time in history, an employee was monitoring the stock market and exchange rates at the dealing room of Hana Bank headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul. That day, the KOSPI opened at 7,775.31, up 277.31 points (3.70%) from the previous trading day, and the KOSDAQ started at 1,212.88, up 5.16 points (0.43%). May 8, 2026 Photo by Jo Yongjun

As of 9:16 a.m. on May 11, the KOSPI was trading at 7,788.87, up 290.87 points (3.88%) from the previous trading day. Earlier in the session, the KOSPI hit another record high, climbing as high as 7,816.80.

Individual investors are leading the rally with a net purchase of 436.538 billion won. Foreign investors and institutions are net sellers, with sales of 365.989 billion won and 54.005 billion won, respectively. As the buying momentum continued, a five-minute temporary suspension of program buying orders (sidecar) was triggered on the KOSPI 200 futures index at 9:29:32 a.m. due to volatility.

By sector, electrical and electronics, which includes Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, is up 5.87%. Distribution (4.69%), manufacturing (4.47%), transportation equipment and parts (2.69%), insurance (2.52%), and finance (2.06%) are also rising. On the other hand, transportation and warehousing (-1.99%), electricity and gas (-1.57%), and metals (-1.02%) are showing weakness.

Among the stocks with the largest market capitalization, there is a clear concentration on Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. Samsung Electronics is trading at 2,850,000 won, up 165,000 won (6.1%) from the previous session, while SK hynix is up 1,570,000 won (9.3%) to 18,430,000 won.

Other notable gainers include Samsung Heavy Industries (7.6%), Samsung C&T (7.1%), HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (6.1%), Hanwha Ocean (6.0%), Hyundai Mobis (5.3%), Samsung Life Insurance (4.0%), and Samsung Biologics (4.0%). In contrast, Samsung Electro-Mechanics (-2.8%), Samsung SDI (-2.6%), and POSCO Holdings (-2.4%) are declining.

The strong buying momentum in the KOSPI triggered a buy-side sidecar at 9:29:32 a.m.

The KOSDAQ index, which started the session slightly higher, is currently trading at 1,204.07, down 3.65 points (0.30%) from the previous trading day. Individual investors are defending against the decline with a net purchase of 182.602 billion won. Foreign investors and institutions are net sellers, with sales of 95.191 billion won and 76.424 billion won, respectively.

Most KOSDAQ sectors are down. Textiles and apparel (-3.31%), general services (-2.55%), leisure and culture (-2.03%), and finance (-1.72%) are among the laggards. Only machinery and equipment (1.90%), non-metals (0.58%), and manufacturing (0.25%) are in positive territory.

Among the largest KOSDAQ stocks by market capitalization, performances are mixed. EcoPro BM (-4.6%), EcoPro (-3.6%), Alteogen (-3.5%), Voronoi (-3.1%), and EO Technics (-2.9%) are declining, while Jusung Engineering (23.6%), Taihan Fiberoptics (13.4%), Peptron (13.2%), and Wonik IPS (11.5%) are advancing.

Meanwhile, on May 11, the won-dollar exchange rate opened at 1,466.0 won in the Seoul foreign exchange market, down 5.7 won from the previous trading day.

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