[Edaily Reporter Park Jung-Soo ] The KOSPI opened down more than 1%. This is interpreted as a result of renewed concerns over a potential war between the U.S. and Iran over the weekend, coupled with ongoing uncertainty in the memory chip sector triggered by Apple.

According to MP Doctor on the 29th, as of 9:07 a.m., the KOSPI is trading at 8,307.10, down 1.24% (104.11 points) from the previous trading day.
Earlier, on the 26th (local time), the New York Stock Exchange closed slightly lower due to profit-taking in tech stocks and sector rotation. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index fell for the fifth consecutive trading day. On that day, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which tracks blue-chip stocks on the New York Stock Exchange, closed at 51,876.11, down 0.09% from the previous trading day. The S&P 500 Index, a benchmark for large-cap stocks, closed at 7,354.02, down 0.05% from the previous trading day, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index closed at 25,297.61, down 0.24%.
In addition, tensions regarding a potential U.S.-Iran war are rising again, with reports over the weekend of retaliatory airstrikes and counterattacks between the U.S. and Iran. Overnight, major international media outlets reported that the U.S. and Iran had agreed to halt mutual attacks and resume talks in Doha, Qatar, on the 30th.
According to the U.S. political news outlet Axios on the 28th (local time), a senior U.S. official stated, “We have decided to suspend all military activities.” Another U.S. official also said, “Both sides will stand down for the time being,” adding, “Ships will be able to navigate freely.” He added that talks for technical consultations are also scheduled to continue.
The U.S.-Iran talks scheduled for the 30th were originally planned to take place in Switzerland to discuss Iran’s nuclear program. However, Axios reported that following Iran’s attack on the Singaporean cargo ship “Ever Lovely” as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz on the 25th—and amid ongoing U.S. retaliatory airstrikes and Iranian counterattacks—the venue was moved to Qatar and the focus of the discussions shifted to the Strait of Hormuz.
Han Ji-young, an analyst at KIWOOM Securities, said, ““This week, the KOSPI is expected to remain volatile, influenced by △ U.S. June employment data and the ISM Manufacturing PMI, △ remarks by key Fed officials including Chairman Kevin Warsh, △ whether the noise surrounding the memory chip market—triggered by Apple—will intensify, △ South Korea’s June export figures, and △ the KOSDAQ 30th-anniversary ceremony, amid technical buying following the sharp decline on the 26th,” she said.
On the stock market, foreign investors are selling 1.0349 trillion won worth of shares, while retail and institutional investors are showing net buying of 800.5 billion won and 199.7 billion won, respectively. Program trading, combining arbitrage and non-arbitrage trades, shows a net sell position of 479.1 billion won.
By sector, insurance is down by around 3%, and electrical and electronics are down by more than 2%. Manufacturing, finance, retail, electricity and gas, telecommunications, and transportation equipment and parts are all recording declines in the 1% range. In contrast, non-metals are up by around 3%, and pharmaceuticals, medical and precision equipment, and others are rising by more than 2%.
Among the top market-cap stocks, declines are predominant: Samsung Life Insurance(032830)is down by over 5%, while SK(034730) and SKSQUARE(402340) are down by more than 4%. SAMSUNG C&T CORPORATION(028260) and SamsungElectronics(005930) are down by around 3%, and SK hynix(000660) and HyundaiMotor(005380) are down by more than 2%. Conversely, SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS(207940) and SamsungElectroMechanics(009150) are up by more than 2%.
The KOSDAQ market is currently trading at 872.29, up 2.46% (20.92 points) from the previous trading day. Among the top-market-cap stocks, gains are predominant, with LigaChem Biosciences(141080)surging by over 13% and ABL Bio Inc.(298380)jumping by over 8%. JUSUNG ENGINEERING Co.,Ltd.(036930)is up by more than 6%.