Expectations for a semiconductor boom revived, sending the KOSPI sharply higher. As foreign investors were net buyers of more than 1 trillion won, the KOSPI reclaimed the 4,100 level.
On the 22nd, the KOSPI ended the session at 4,105.93, up 85.38 points (2.12%) from the previous trading day. The KOSPI opened at 4,096.26, up 75.71 points (1.88%), and gains widened during the session. Foreign investors and institutions were both net buyers, with combined net purchases reaching 3 trillion won. Foreign investors were net buyers of more than 1 trillion won in the cash market, and KOSPI200 futures also saw a large net buying advantage. Even though the won rose to the 1,480-won level against the dollar, a surge of foreign funds lifted the index.
Institutions were net buyers of more than 1.6 trillion won, with most of the volume coming from "financial investment," which appears to be individual investors' exchange-traded fund (ETF) money. Individual funds have been steadily flowing into the stock market.
What lifted the market on the day were IT stocks centered on semiconductors. Recently, domestic and overseas markets have swung on concerns of an artificial intelligence (AI) bubble, but the market surged as expectations for a semiconductor boom expanded again.
After Micron released strong results over the weekend, the stock jumped sharply, and news that Oracle would invest in the U.S. unit of ByteDance Ltd., operator of China's TikTok, helped lift U.S. markets, led by tech stocks.
Foreign investors focused on buying Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, sending their prices sharply higher. During the session, an unconfirmed report spread in the market that Samsung Electronics had significantly raised DRAM prices but shortages persisted, and based on recent trends, analysts said the rumor was close to the truth.
Another standout theme in the market was the space industry. After the Donald Trump U.S. administration signed an executive order on "securing America's space superiority," centered on lunar exploration, investors' interest focused on space-related stocks. Through the order, the Trump administration set the resumption of lunar exploration and strengthening space security as key tasks, saying it would land astronauts on the moon again by 2028.
Space-related stocks that had surged on expectations of a SpaceX listing jumped again. In the domestic market, Korea Aerospace Industries and SeAH Besteel Holdings climbed sharply, and stocks considered part of the space and aerospace industry advanced.
Lee Jae-won, a researcher at Shinhan Investment & Securities, said, "Since November, the KOSPI has moved within a range and froth has eased, but as corporations' earnings estimates have steadily been revised upward, valuation pressure has decreased."
The KOSDAQ also rose more than 1.5%. The KOSDAQ ended the session at 929.14, up 13.87 points (1.52%). A large inflow of individual funds entered the KOSDAQ market. Foreign investors were net sellers.
AI-related stocks were strong in the KOSDAQ market as well. On expectations of an improvement in IT conditions, Rainbow Robotics and LEENO Industrial jumped sharply. HVM, a SpaceX partner, surged, and Mirae Asset Venture also rose.