[Edaily Reporter Hyera Lee ] Both markets are struggling to break out of their downward trend even in the afternoon session.

According to MP Doctor on the 8th, as of 1:23 p.m., the KOSPI is trading at 7,377.77, down 254.80 points (3.39%) from the previous close.
The index opened down more than 3% today. At one point in the morning, SamsungElectronics and SK hynix moved into positive territory, causing the index to briefly turn positive as well. However, starting at 10:30 a.m., the index turned negative again and has continued to trade in negative territory.
Shin Hyun-yong, an analyst at Yuanta Securities Korea, noted in a report today, “Although SamsungElectronics announced a record-breaking quarter with a 1,800% surge in operating profit in its preliminary second-quarter earnings, its stock price fell due to concerns over capital expenditures and demand.” He added, “Selling pressure accelerated in the latter part of the session following news that the license to sell Iranian crude oil had been revoked, and government bond yields are also rising.”
By investor type, retail investors and foreign investors are selling 753 billion won and 689.8 billion won worth of shares, respectively. Foreign investors shifted their trading stance from the morning and have been net sellers for 14 consecutive trading days. Institutions, led by financial investment firms, are buying in the 1 trillion won range.
Top-market-cap stocks are seeing steep declines.
Among the top 50 stocks by market capitalization, only six are trading higher.
Amid mixed market interpretations regarding concerns over an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven bubble, SamsungElectronics(005930)and SK hynix(000660)are once again fluctuating between gains and losses today, showing volatility in the 6–8% range.
Following Morgan Stanley’s negative outlook on semiconductor stocks the previous day, it was reported that UBS Group’s Sales & Trading Desk stated in a client note today, “Since SK hynix’s new ADRs are likely to trade at a premium, investors should buy SK hynix’s ADRs and sell its shares listed in Korea.”
In addition, stocks ranked among the top 10 by market capitalization— SKSQUARE(402340), SamsungElectroMechanics(009150), HyundaiMotor(005380), LG Energy Solution, Samsung Life Insurance(032830), SAMSUNG C&T CORPORATION(028260), SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS(207940), and KB Financial Group(105560) —are all trading lower.
At the same time, the KOSDAQ Index is trading at 789.47 points, down 41.53 points (5.03%) from the previous trading day.
The KOSDAQ Index opened down more than 2% today and extended its losses during the session. Around 10:00 a.m., it attempted to narrow the decline to within 1%, but soon fell below the 800-point mark at approximately 11:02 a.m. This marks the first time the index has fallen below the 800-point level in about 10 months, since September 4 of last year. The KOSDAQ index saw its losses widen further in the afternoon session, falling below the 790 level as well.
In the KOSDAQ market, both foreign investors and institutions are simultaneously selling off shares. Institutions, which had been net buyers in the morning, are now selling 17.3 billion won worth of shares. It appears that retail investors alone are absorbing 100 billion won worth of these sales.
Top-market-cap stocks are also falling one after another in the KOSDAQ market. Among the top 50 KOSDAQ stocks, only one— GigaVis Co., Ltd.(420770) —is trading higher.
Kang Jin-hyuk, an analyst at Shinhan Investment Securities, said, “Mixed market sentiment is emerging following SamsungElectronics’ preliminary earnings announcement yesterday, leading to volatility,” adding, “We view this as a period where the market is seeking equilibrium amid a seesaw game involving fundamentals—which are at their lowest levels since the financial crisis—and liquidity.”