On the 20th, the KOSPI index opened higher, lifted by the U.S. administration overnight proposing mutual "restraint from escalation" related to energy infrastructure and a series of remarks about easing oil prices.
As of 9:16 a.m. that day, the KOSPI index was at 5,809.52, up 46.30 points (0.80%) from the previous session. The KOSPI index opened at 5,813.35, up 0.87% from the previous session. Retail investors alone bought 718.3 billion won worth, lifting the index, while foreigners and institutions posted net sales of 630 billion won and 110.8 billion won, respectively.
Among the top market-cap stocks, LG Energy Solution, Samsung Biologics, and Doosan Enerbility are up in the 1% range. SK hynix (0.79%), Hyundai Motor (0.77%), Samsung Electronics (0.62%), Kia (0.53%), and SK Square (0.49%) are also rising. Conversely, Hanwha Aerospace is down 2.62%.
At the same time, the KOSDAQ index was trading at 1,151.42, up 7.94 points (0.69%) from the previous session. The KOSDAQ index opened at 1,153.67, up 0.89% from the previous session.
In the KOSDAQ market, retail investors were net buyers of 23.1 billion won and institutions 400 million won. Foreign investors sold 10.5 billion won worth.
Most top KOSDAQ market-cap stocks are rising. Peptron (2.20%) leads gains, followed by EcoPro BM (1.21%), Kolon TissueGene (1.13%), EcoPro (0.99%), ABL Bio (0.84%), and LigaChem Biosciences (0.55%). LEENO Industrial (-3.84%), Alteogen (-0.83%), and Sam Chun Dang Pharm (-0.38%) are weak.
Meanwhile, in the Seoul foreign exchange market, the won-dollar exchange rate opened at 1,492 won per U.S. dollar, down 9 won from the previous session.
On the 19th (local time), New York stocks fell as international oil prices rose following attacks on energy facilities in the Middle East, but gradually pared losses as the Donald Trump administration made remarks calling for restraint from escalation and calming oil prices.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished at 46,021.43, down 0.44% from the previous session. The Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 fell 0.27% to 6,606.49, and the Nasdaq dropped 0.28% to 22,090.69.
U.S. President Trump said at a summit with Japan Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that he told Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to carry out additional attacks on Iran's oil and gas facilities. Asked whether there was any intention to deploy U.S. ground forces to Iran or send reinforcements, he said, "No."
Afterward, Prime Minister Netanyahu also noted that, at President Trump's request, he would no longer bomb Iran's gas field.