KOSPI Falls Early in the Session... Drops 2% to the 7,400 Level

by Park SeungUk

Published 13 May.2026 09:38(KST)

Samsung Electronics and SK hynix Fall on Weak U.S. Semiconductor Stocks
KOSDAQ Also Drops Early in the Session, Hovering Around 1,170

The KOSPI started the session lower due to selling pressure from foreign investors.


As of 9:07 a.m. on May 13, the KOSPI was down 154.60 points (2.02%) from the previous session, standing at 7,488.46.


As the KOSPI index paused just below the 8000 mark, an employee monitors the stock market and exchange rates in the dealing room at the headquarters of Hana Bank in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 12th. On this day, the KOSPI opened at 7953.41, up 1.68% from the previous trading day. May 12, 2026. Photo by Cho Yongjun

As the KOSPI index paused just below the 8000 mark, an employee monitors the stock market and exchange rates in the dealing room at the headquarters of Hana Bank in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 12th. On this day, the KOSPI opened at 7953.41, up 1.68% from the previous trading day. May 12, 2026. Photo by Cho Yongjun

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By investor type, foreign investors led the decline by recording a net selling amount of 1.0289 trillion won. In contrast, individual and institutional investors recorded net purchases of 719.1 billion won and 283.6 billion won, respectively.


By sector, most share prices fell. The electrical & electronics sector (-3.21%), retail (-2.81%), manufacturing (-2.34%), and securities (-2.18%) all declined, while transportation equipment & parts (+1.40%), transportation & storage (+0.90%), IT services (+0.75%), and entertainment & culture (+0.29%) posted gains.


Among the top 20 companies by market capitalization, most shares also declined. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix weakened due to a slump in U.S. semiconductor stocks and the breakdown of labor negotiations at Samsung Electronics. Samsung Electronics was trading at 265,500 won, down 4.84% from the previous session, while SK hynix was at 1,804,000 won, down 1.69%. Their respective holding companies, Samsung C&T (-6.32%) and SK Square (-1.95%), also traded lower. In addition, HD Hyundai Electric (-4.28%) and Doosan Enerbility (-3.58%) declined. Only four stocks, including Hyundai Mobis (+4.93%) and Hyundai Motor (+2.48%), saw their prices rise.


The KOSDAQ fell 7.44 points (0.63%) from the previous session to 1,171.85.


By investor type, foreign investors and institutions posted net sales of 41.3 billion won and 2.8 billion won, respectively, while individuals recorded a net purchase of 65.4 billion won.


By sector, declines outnumbered gains. Electrical & electronics (-1.87%), construction (-1.34%), transportation & storage (-1.19%), and finance (-1.08%) fell, while medical precision instruments (+1.16%), IT services (+0.74%), transportation equipment & parts (+0.54%), and food, beverages & tobacco (+0.23%) rose.


Among the top 20 companies by market capitalization on the KOSDAQ, more saw price declines. Jusung Engineering (-4.68%), LIG Chem Bio (-3.34%), ISC (-3.22%), and Samchundang Pharm (-2.05%) declined, while Hyundai Movex (+6.00%), Robotis (+3.33%), EO Technics (+2.92%), and HLB (+2.12%) advanced.



On the Seoul foreign exchange market, the won-dollar exchange rate opened at 1,493.8 won, up 3.9 won from the previous session.