On the 14th, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) slightly rose but closed without recovering the 2500 mark. With foreign investors and domestic institutions continuing to sell, the index had to be content with the fact that it rebounded after three days. The performance of major semiconductor stocks, such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, was mixed, while shipbuilding-related stocks continued to perform strongly on that day.
On that day, the KOSPI closed at 2497.40, up 7.84 points (0.31%) from the previous trading day. The index started at 2501.49, up 11.93 points (0.48%) compared to the previous session, and even rose to 2504.89 during the day but ultimately reduced its gains. At one point in the morning, it even turned to a decline.
The simultaneous selling by foreign investors and domestic institutions limited the index's rise that day. Foreign investors sold a net 2.954 trillion won, following a sale of 8.717 trillion won the previous day. Domestic institutions sold a net 580 billion won. In contrast, individual investors were reported to have net bought 298.8 billion won.
With the upcoming announcements of the Producer Price Index (PPI) on the 14th and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on the 15th in the United States, as well as the inauguration of the second administration of Donald Trump, investors' cautious sentiment has reportedly increased. Additionally, the Bank of Korea's first Monetary Policy Committee meeting of the year is scheduled for the 16th.
Lee Kyung-min, a researcher at Daishin Securities, noted, "Last December, the U.S. non-farm payroll data significantly exceeded expectations, leading to increased market uncertainty," adding that "At least the buying momentum from individuals and the decrease in the won-dollar exchange rate supported the KOSPI's rebound that day."
In the Seoul foreign exchange market, the won-dollar exchange rate started at 1465.0 won, down 5.8 won from the previous day, and fell to 1463.10 won by the end of weekly transactions. It seems that the drop in the dollar value was due to the strong performance of the yuan following buoyant exports from China.
The fluctuations among the top market capitalization stocks in the securities market (KOSPI) were mixed. Samsung Electronics, the number one stock by market cap, closed down 0.37%, while the second-ranked SK Hynix rose 0.36%. Among the top ten stocks by market cap, six rose while four fell.
The shipbuilding industry continued its strong performance that day. It was reported that the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) concluded that China was using unfair means to dominate the shipbuilding market, leading to heightened expectations that Korean shipbuilders would benefit from this. In particular, Hanwha Ocean's stock rose more than 5% compared to the previous day.
Shares related to secondary batteries also rebounded. News that the cathode and anode materials from domestic companies were used in the batteries for Tesla's "Model Y" provided a positive impact. L&F's stock, which supplies cathodes, rose over 10%. LG Energy Solution's stock also increased by more than 3%.
On that day, the KOSDAQ closed at 718.04, up 9.83 points (1.39%) from the previous trading day. The index started at 712.03, up 3.82 points (0.54%) compared to the previous session, and increased its gains. Unlike in the securities market, foreign investors and domestic institutions net bought 80.9 billion won and 62.3 billion won, respectively.
As secondary battery stocks rose in tandem, ECOPRO BM, ranked second in KOSDAQ market capitalization, increased by over 7%. Biotech stocks, including Alteogen and HLB, also rebounded. Additionally, the stock prices of entertainment companies such as JYP Entertainment and SM stood out with their increases.