On Dec. 30, the last stock trading day of 2025, the KOSPI closed above 4,210 points. It was slightly lower, but the market wrapped up the year near a record high. Blue-chip semiconductor stocks Samsung Electronics and SK hynix also finished this year's trading at their respective record highs on a closing basis.
The KOSPI closed at 4,214.17, down 6.39 points, or 0.15%, from the previous trading day. In the main board, foreigners were net sellers of nearly 500 billion won, and institutions including pension funds were also net sellers, pulling the index lower, but gains in large-cap semiconductor stocks helped support the market. Individuals were net buyers of more than 800 billion won. Foreigners sold in the cash market but were net buyers in KOSPI200 futures.
This year, the KOSPI surged and set historic records. As countries around the world adopted accommodative monetary policies and expansionary fiscal policies and the artificial intelligence (AI) boom took hold, the KOSPI topped 4,000 points for the first time. Fueled by the new administration's stock market revitalization policies, the KOSPI's annual gain reached 75%, the highest among major markets.
On the back of the AI boom, semiconductor, power infrastructure, and nuclear power sectors posted sharp gains, with a slew of stocks hitting record highs. Defense stocks, led by Hanwha Aerospace, also jumped. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix closed at record highs of 119,000 won and 651,000 won, respectively.
The KOSDAQ closed at 925.47, down 7.12 points, or 0.76%, from the previous trading day. The decline was driven by weakness in secondary battery stocks, which carry a large weight in the KOSDAQ. L&F plunged after a sharp reduction in its supply contract with Tesla, and EcoPro BM and EcoPro each fell more than 6%.