Home > Business > Finance

Kospi breaks 5,300 during interday trading as investors chase AI shares

Published: 30 Jan. 2026, 17:44

This photo taken Jan. 30, shows the dealing room of Woori Bank in Seoul. [YONHAP]

Korean stocks briefly topped the 5,300 mark Friday, with the benchmark Kospi hitting an intraday high of 5,321.68, as investors continued to pile into AI shares despite lingering bubble concerns. The local currency fell against the greenback.

The Kospi closed slightly higher, adding 3.11 points, or 0.06 percent, to finish at 5,224.3, extending its winning streak to a fourth session and ending at a new record high.

Trade volume was heavy at 852 million shares worth 34.7 trillion won ($24.1 billion). Losers outnumbered winners 602 to 278.

Individuals bought a net 2.2 trillion won, while foreigners sold a net 1.9 trillion won. Institutions sold a net 425 billion won.

Investors continued to purchase tech shares despite concerns over a bubble, as they have already proven their ability to generate robust earnings amid the AI cycle.

"For the time being, AI hardware and software companies need to overcome concerns over their profitability," Han Ji-young, a researcher at Kiwoom Securities, said.

"During the period, the market's preference for chipmakers that sell memory products to such companies will remain strong," Han added.

A screen in Hana Bank's trading room in central Seoul shows the Kospi opening on Jan. 30. [YONHAP]

The market advance was limited after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to raise "reciprocal" tariffs and auto duties on Korea back to 25 percent this week.

Top-cap Samsung Electronics edged down 0.12 percent to 160,500 won, while SK hynix set a fresh high at 909,000 won, up 5.57 percent.

Brokerage houses closed bullish amid the market rally, with Mirae Asset Securities rising 4.65 percent to 42,750 won and Kiwoom Securities increasing 4.11 percent to 443,500 won.

Top mobile carrier SK Telecom rose 4.32 percent to 72,500 won on the back of improved business outlook, and its rival KT added 1.43 percent to 56,900 won.

Samsung SDI rose 0.52 percent after the company said it had won a battery supply contract, without disclosing details, with the deal widely believed to be related to Tesla's energy storage system business.

The local currency fell 13.2 won from the previous session to trade at 1,439.5 against the greenback at 3:30 p.m.

Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys rose 3.2 basis points to 3.138 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bonds added 4.1 basis points to 3.436 percent.

Yonhap