On the 24th, the KOSPI reset its closing record high. It is just 30.36 points shy of "yukcheonpi (KOSPI 6,000 points)." The KOSDAQ index also rose 1% on the back of net buying by individual investors.
The KOSPI index jumped 123.55 points, or 2.11%, to close at 5,969.64 from the previous trading day. Although it opened higher, the KOSPI index turned lower early in the session and at one point fell more than 1% in the morning, but as large caps turned higher, the index also rebounded.
In the Korea Exchange's main board, institutions bought 2.3198 trillion won worth of shares. Most of the institutional buying was concentrated in the financial investment (2.4382 trillion won) flow, which reflects individuals' exchange-traded fund (ETF) funds. Pension funds were net sellers of 107.2 billion won, and individuals and foreigners were net sellers of 2.3543 trillion won and 241.5 billion won, respectively. Foreigners also were net sellers of 25.6 billion won in KOSPI 200 futures.
On the day, large-cap KOSPI stocks Samsung Electronics and SK hynix surged, leading the index higher. Samsung Electronics finished trading at 200,000 won and SK hynix at 1,005,000 won, achieving the respective milestones of "200,000 jeonja" and "1 million nix." SK hynix shares thus ascended to the rank of "Hwangjeju," stocks priced above 1 million won.
Among the top market-cap stocks, all rose except Doosan Enerbility (-0.69%). SK Square jumped more than 6%, while LG Energy Solution (4.17%), Kia (0.75%), Hanwha Aerospace (0.40%), Samsung Biologics (0.35%), and Hyundai Motor (0.19%) also gained.
The KOSDAQ index also finished trading at 1,165.00, up 13.01 points, or 1.13%, from the previous trading day. Individuals were heavy net buyers to the tune of 240.8 billion won, while institutions and foreigners sold 157.7 billion won and 58.4 billion won worth of shares, respectively.
Most of the top KOSDAQ market-cap stocks also rose. Rainbow Robotics (4.89%), EcoPro BM (1.91%), LEENO Industrial (1.14%), Alteogen (0.49%), EcoPro (0.35%), ABL Bio (0.26%), and HLB (0.19%) closed higher, while Caregen (-6.33%), Kolon TissueGene (-0.52%), and Sam Chun Dang Pharm (-0.49%) fell.
Kang Jin-hyeok, a researcher at Shinhan Investment & Securities, said, "Despite the U.S. administration's trade law response, autos and export consumer goods were strong," and noted, "Energy themes benefiting from artificial intelligence (AI), power equipment on soaring electricity demand, and nuclear power themes rose." He added, "However, global uncertainties remain, such as U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff hike remarks and the Iran situation."