[Edaily Reporter Kwon Oh-seok] With the risk of war between the U.S. and Iran—which had been weighing on global stock markets—now resolved, all eyes are on whether the KOSPI will surpass its previous high and reach the "9,000 mark" (KOSPI 9,000).

According to MP Doctor on the 16th, the KOSPI opened at 8,696.55, up 150.57 points (1.76%) from the previous trading day, and as of 9:08 a.m., it is trading at 8,717.60, up 171.62 points (2.01%).
So far today, individual and foreign investors have been net buyers of 97.8 billion won and 180.4 billion won, respectively, while institutional investors alone have been net sellers of 286.6 billion won. By trading type, combined arbitrage and non-arbitrage trades show a net buying advantage of 48.7 billion won.
Earlier, U.S. stock markets in New York surged across the board, buoyed by expectations of an agreement to end the war between the U.S. and Iran. On the 15th (local time), the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 51,671.03 on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), up 0.92% from the previous trading day, setting a new all-time high. The S&P 500 index jumped 1.65% to 7,554.29, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index surged 3.07% to 26,683.94. The Nasdaq recorded its largest single-day gain since late March.
The securities industry also expected the KOSPI to open higher, buoyed by the ceasefire agreement and the rise in U.S. stock markets. Han Ji-young, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities, noted, “Since the positive news from the U.S. was already partially priced into the domestic market the previous day, we need to anticipate the possibility that a virtuous cycle of buying will spread to other sectors after an early-session rally led by semiconductor stocks.”
She added, “While uncertainties surrounding the war and energy inflation outlook have not completely dissipated, the market has already developed resilience over the past three months. Considering that profit momentum centered on artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor stocks—which can offset external variables—is currently strengthening, a strategy of increasing equity exposure in both the U.S. and South Korea remains valid at least until the second-quarter earnings season.”
So far today, large-cap stocks on the KOSPI are up 2.20%, mid-cap stocks are up 1.29%, and small-cap stocks are up 0.39%. By sector, medical and precision equipment is up 5.24%, metals is up 3.84%, and construction is up 3.47%, while telecommunications is down 1.00% and real estate is down 0.94%.
Most of the top market capitalization stocks are showing gains. #Samsung Electronics is trading at 345,000 won, up 8,000 won (2.37%) from the previous trading day, while #SK Hynix is trading at 2,361,000 won, up 73,000 won (3.19%) over the same period.
Meanwhile, the KOSDAQ index opened at 1,039.00, up 4.97 points (0.48%) from the previous trading day, and is currently trading at 1,029.75, down 4.28 points (0.41%) at the same time.
In the KOSDAQ market, retail investors are the only net buyers, with net purchases of 147.1 billion won, while foreign and institutional investors are net sellers of 101.3 billion won and 43.9 billion won, respectively. By trading type, combined arbitrage and non-arbitrage trades show a net buying advantage of 90.9 billion won.