The KOSPI closed at another record high, drawing close to the 5,500 level. As semiconductor stocks that led the market the day before paused, buying shifted to nuclear power and secondary battery stocks. On the supply-and-demand side, individuals drove the index higher via exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The KOSDAQ also ended trading near its record high.
The KOSPI rose 83.02 points, or 1.57%, from the previous transaction day to close at 5,371.10. Weighed by a weak U.S. market, the index opened at 5,260.71 but quickly turned higher on intraday individual buying, fluctuated between the 5,300 and 5,360 levels, and topped 5,370 just before the close.
Individuals and institutions led the index. On the day, financial investment, the conduit for individuals' exchange-traded fund (ETF) flows, net bought 1.4932 trillion won, investment trusts 171.1 billion won, and the national pension funds 39.4 billion won. However, funds tallied as individual flows net sold 1.007 trillion won. Foreign investors, who were net buyers the previous transaction day, turned net sellers and dumped 940.1 billion won.
Nuclear power stocks were strong on news of strengthened U.S.-Korea nuclear cooperation. The U.S. State Department said Minister Cho Hyun of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the direction of the alliance's development in a meeting on the 3rd (local time). In particular, expanded nuclear power cooperation was discussed. Doosan Enerbility jumped 5% at the close, while KEPCO E&C (12.19%) and Korea Electric Power Corporation (5.38%) also finished higher.
Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, which had surged the previous day, took a breather. Samsung Electronics fell as much as 2% intraday before reversing to close up 0.96% at 169,100 won. Its market capitalization was 1,001.0108 trillion won at the close, breaking the 1,000 trillion won mark for the first time. SK hynix also ended down 0.77% at 900,000 won.
At the same time, the KOSDAQ rose 5.1 points, or 0.45%, from the previous transaction day to close at 1,149.43. The KOSDAQ also opened slightly lower at 1,139.02, then turned higher on intraday foreign buying, and, after changing hands to individuals, fluctuated between the 1,135 and 1,160 levels before ending at 1,149.
In the KOSDAQ market, only individuals were net buyers. Individuals bought a net 234.5 billion won and, through ETF funds, a net 86.3 billion won. Foreigners and institutions were net sellers of 53.9 billion won, investment trusts 36.5 billion won, and the national pension funds 67.7 billion won.
Buying concentrated in secondary battery stocks such as EcoPro and EcoPro BM. In contrast, bio stocks ended lower, including Alteogen (1.99%), ABL Bio (4.42%), Kolon TissueGene (4.38%), HLB (1.96%), and LigaChem Biosciences (3.98%).