The domestic stock market fell on the 4th. U.S. jobs data released overnight was weak, boosting expectations for rate cuts, and plans to foster the U.S. robotics industry acted as a positive, but technology stocks lost steam on negative news related to artificial intelligence (AI) stemming from Microsoft (MS).
The market is watching the meeting scheduled for the 5th between President Lee Jae-myung and SoftBank Group Chairman Son Masayoshi. The discussion is expected to cover domestic AI infrastructure investment and global cooperation plans.
The KOSPI on the day closed at 4,028.51, down 7.79 points (0.19%) from the previous session. Opening at 4,018.91, down 17.39 points (0.43%) from the day before, the KOSPI fell below the 4,000 level intraday on selling by foreign investors, but institutions turned net buyers late in the session, narrowing the loss.
In the main board, individual and institutional investors were net buyers of 650 billion won and 22 billion won, respectively. Foreign investors, by contrast, sold a net 670 billion won alone.
Semiconductor stocks struggled on the day. As questions were raised that Microsoft lowered its AI product sales targets, concerns resurfaced about slowing AI demand and profitability. In Korea, selling by foreign investors focused on semiconductor corporations, and SK hynix fell more than 1.8%, failing to hold the 550,000 won level.
However, reports that the Trump administration is reviewing an executive order related to the robotics industry sent robot-related stocks broadly higher, including Doosan Robotics (7.82%) and Hyundai AutoEver (27.19%). Adding to the robotics momentum, Hyundai Motor (6.38%) and Hyundai Mobis (8.76%) surged on news that the tariff rate applied to Korean-made cars exported to the United States was lowered to 15%.
Six of the top 10 stocks by market capitalization closed higher. Samsung Electronics, Samsung Biologics, and Doosan Enerbility rose. By contrast, LG Energy Solution, KB Financial Group, and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries fell.
The KOSDAQ on the day closed at 929.83, down 2.18 points (0.23%) from the previous session. Opening at 934.01, up 2 points (0.21%) from the prior session, the KOSDAQ set fresh record highs in the morning on institutional and foreign buying, and for the first time ever its market capitalization topped 50 trillion won. However, it turned lower as foreign investors shifted to net selling during the session.
On the KOSDAQ, foreign and institutional investors showed net buying of 67 billion won and 76 billion won, respectively. Individual investors, by contrast, recorded net selling of 65 billion won.
Only three of the top 10 KOSDAQ stocks by market capitalization rose. Three stocks, including EcoPro BM, Rainbow Robotics, and LigaChem Biosciences, closed higher than the day before. By contrast, Peptron, HLB, and Alteogen fell.
The won-dollar exchange rate stood at 1,473.50 won as of 3:30 p.m. in the Seoul foreign exchange market, up 5.5 won from the previous day.