In early trading on the 4th, the KOSPI started lower and is slipping below the 4,010 level.
As of 9:12 a.m., the KOSPI is down 28.58 points, or 0.71%, from the previous session at 4,007.72. The KOSPI opened at 4,018.91, down 17.39 points, or 0.43%, from the day before.
In the main board, individual investors alone are net buyers of 330 billion won, propping up the index. Foreign investors and institutions are net sellers of 230 billion won and 100 billion won, respectively.
Seven of the top 10 stocks by market capitalization are falling. Shares of Samsung Biologics, Hyundai Motor, and Doosan Enerbility are rising. Apart from these, Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, LG Energy Solution, KB Financial, and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries are all trading lower than the previous day.
At the same time, the KOSDAQ is down 1.01 points, or 0.11%, from the previous session at 931.00. The KOSDAQ opened at 934.01, up 2 points, or 0.21%, from the prior session.
On the KOSDAQ, individuals and institutions are net buyers of 55 billion won and 10 billion won, respectively. Foreign investors are net sellers of 6 billion won.
On the KOSDAQ, eight of the top 10 stocks by market capitalization are declining. Except for Rainbow Robotics and LigaChem Biosciences, eight names including Alteogen, Peptron, ABL Bio, and EcoPro BM are weak.
Overnight on Wall Street, all three major indexes extended gains for a second straight day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.86% to close at 47,882.90. The Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 gained 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.17%.
U.S. ADP private employment data and other indicators came in below expectations, reviving hopes for rate cuts. In addition, news that the Trump administration will foster the robotics industry added a tailwind to stocks. However, a report that Microsoft (MS) lowered sales targets and supply allocations for some artificial intelligence (AI) products slightly weakened overall investor sentiment in tech shares.
At the same time in the Seoul foreign exchange market, the won-dollar exchange rate stood at 1,466.20, down 0.8 won from the previous session.