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Kospi rolls up 1.56% to fresh record amid renewed U.S.-China tension

Published: 22 Oct. 2025, 17:22

The Kospi is shown closing at 3,883.68, up 1.56 percent compared to the previous day, at a Hana Bank dealing room in Jung District, central Seoul, on Oct. 22. [YONHAP]

Korean stocks extended their winning streak to a sixth day by jumping more than 1.5 percent to close at a fresh record high on Wednesday, led by gains for chipmakers and automakers despite renewed concerns over global trade tensions. The won fell against the dollar.

The benchmark Kospi increased 59.84 points, or 1.56 percent, to close at 3,883.68.

Trade volume was moderate at 588.5 million shares worth 15.1 trillion won ($10.6 billion), with winners beating losers 635 to 247. Institutional investors were net buyers, purchasing 762.3 billion won worth of shares. In contrast, individual and foreign investors offloaded 54.2 billion won and 724.9 billion won, respectively.

The index had been on a bull run since last Wednesday, buoyed by optimism over easing trade tensions between the United States and China.

The index opened lower due to renewed uncertainty surrounding the upcoming U.S.-China summit, following remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump. The market then turned bullish in the afternoon on the back of solid performances by chipmaker, automaker, battery and bio shares.

“The domestic market opened weak due to profit-taking in global markets the previous day, but a buying force rotated into undervalued sectors, driving the index higher,” Lee Kyung-min, an analyst at Daishin Securities, said.

Most market heavyweights ended higher.

The Kospi is shown closing at 3,883.68, up 1.56 percent compared to the previous day, at a Hana Bank dealing room in Jung District, central Seoul, on Oct. 22. [YONHAP]

Leading battery maker LG Energy Solution jumped 4 percent to 454,000 won, while LG Chem surged 13.01 percent to 391,000 won, jumping the most in five years, following global hedge fund Palliser Capital's report on the firm. Chip giant Samsung Electronics went up 1.13 percent to 98,600 won, and rival SK hynix also increased 0.52 percent to 481,500 won.

Auto shares also ended higher. Top carmaker Hyundai Motor rose 1.75 percent to 261,000 won, and its smaller affiliate Kia climbed 1.99 percent to 118,100 won. Defense giant Hanwha Aerospace increased 3.39 percent to close at 1,007,000 won, and leading shipbuilder HD Hyundai rose 3.2 percent to 581,000 won.

The won had been quoted at 1,430.25 won against the U.S. dollar as of 3:30 p.m., up 2.45 won or 0.18 percent from the previous session's close of 1,427.75 won.

Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed mixed. The yield on three-year Treasurys went up 2.8 basis points to 2.572 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bonds went down 2.4 basis points to 2.687 percent.

Yonhap