With tensions in the Middle East escalating and major U.S. indexes closing lower, the KOSPI opened down more than 2% on the 4th.
As of 9:04 a.m., the KOSPI was down 202.46 points, or 2.30%, from the previous session at 8,599.03. The KOSPI opened at 8,623.82, down 177.67 points, or 2.02%, from the previous session.
Foreign investors are dragging down the main board. Foreigners have a net sell of 1.4485 trillion won and institutions 32.6 billion won, while individuals alone have a net buy of 1.4434 trillion won.
Among top market-cap stocks on the main board, the lights turned blue across the board. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are down in the 2% and 3% range, respectively, while SK Square, Hyundai Motor, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, LG Energy Solution, and Samsung Life Insurance are also falling. Samsung C&T and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries are rising.
At the same time, the KOSDAQ was up 2.16% (22.21 points) from the previous session at 1,048.24. The KOSDAQ opened at 1,032.91, up 6.88 points, or 0.67%, from the previous session.
On the KOSDAQ, individuals have a net sell of 39.6 billion won, while foreigners have a net buy of 20.5 billion won and institutions 22.6 billion won.
Among top market-cap stocks on the KOSDAQ, most are rising. EcoPro BM, Alteogen, EcoPro, Jusung Engineering, Kolon TissueGene, Sam Chun Dang Pharm, LEENO Industrial, HLB, and Peptron are gaining, while Rainbow Robotics alone is falling.
Overnight, major U.S. indexes all closed lower. As tensions in the Middle East flared again, the jump in international oil prices and bond yields weighed heavily.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished at 50,687.07, down 620.72 points, or 1.21%, from the previous day; the Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 fell 56.10 points, or 0.74%, to 7,553.68; and the Nasdaq composite closed at 26,853.98, down 239.93 points, or 0.89%.
Earlier, on the 1st, the U.S. military struck radar and other facilities on Qeshm Island, and on the 2nd, disabled an Iranian oil tanker with a missile.
In retaliation, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attacked the U.S. Air Force base in Kuwait and the U.S. Navy 5th Fleet base in Bahrain.
International oil prices rose. Brent futures settled at $97.81 per barrel, up 1.9% from the previous session, and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures settled at $96.02 per barrel, up 2.4%.