[Edaily Reporter KIM YOON-JEONG ] The KOSPI surged by more than 5% in early trading on the 22nd, regaining the 7,100 level. Buoyed by a sharp rise in U.S. semiconductor stocks overnight, SamsungElectronics and SK hynix posted strong gains, driving the index higher. Shortly after the market opened, a buy-side circuit breaker was triggered on the main stock market.

According to MP Doctor on the 22nd, as of 9:12 a.m., the KOSPI is trading at 7,137.43, up 389.48 points (5.77%) from the previous trading day. After opening at 7,052.09, the index has extended its gains, climbing as high as 7,153.42 during the session.
In terms of market sentiment, foreign investors are net buying 1.161 trillion won worth of stocks. In contrast, retail investors and institutions are net selling 844.2 billion won and 319.3 billion won worth of stocks, respectively.
Overnight, the New York stock market closed higher across the board as bargain-hunting flowed into semiconductor stocks, which had recently plummeted. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) surged 5.2%, while Micron jumped 12.2% and SK hynix ADRs soared 13.8%. The market is interpreting the recent correction not as the end of the AI investment cycle but as a process of cooling off overheated conditions, and investor sentiment toward semiconductor stocks appears to be recovering.
Han Ji-young, an analyst at KIWOOM Securities, said, “Despite the pressure from rising oil prices due to uncertainty stemming from the Middle East, the domestic stock market is expected to rise today, buoyed by the simultaneous surge in U.S. semiconductor stocks, the KOSPI 200 overnight futures trading up in the 4.0% range, and expectations for the second-quarter earnings season for domestic sectors such as auto and banking later this week.”
SamsungElectronics(005930), the company with the largest market capitalization on the KOSPI, is trading at 273,500 won (up 5.60%), while SK hynix(000660), ranked second, is trading at 1,992,000 won (up 8.50%).
In addition, SKSQUARE(402340)(8.30%), SamsungElectroMechanics(009150)(11.76%), HyundaiMotor(005380)(7.64%), LG Energy Solution(373220)(4.57%), Samsung Life Insurance(032830)(6.65%), SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS(207940)(2.51%), KB Financial Group(105560)(2.13%), SAMSUNG C&T CORPORATION(028260)(6.84%), and KIA CORPORATION(000270)(3.18%) are all showing strong gains.
At 9:06 a.m., shortly after the market opened, KOSPI 200 futures rose 5.40% from the reference price, triggering the buy-side circuit breaker on the KOSPI market. As a result, the execution of program buy orders was temporarily suspended for five minutes.
The KOSDAQ market is also on the rise. At the same time, the KOSDAQ index is trading at 787.68, up 34.34 points (4.56%). The index opened at 772.41 and rose to 787.70 during the session.
In the KOSDAQ market, retail investors are net buyers of 48.7 billion won worth of stocks. In contrast, foreign investors and institutions are net sellers of 25.0 billion won and 22.7 billion won worth of stocks, respectively.
Alteogen Inc.(196170), the top stock by market capitalization on the KOSDAQ, is trading at 280,500 won (up 2.75%), while ECOPRO BM CO., LTD.(247540), ranked second, is trading at 111,500 won (up 5.29%).
In addition, ECOPRO CO., LTD(086520)(up 6.65%), Rainbow Robotics(277810)(up 25.15%), JUSUNG ENGINEERING Co.,Ltd.(036930)(up 7.68%), WONIK IPS Co.,Ltd.(240810)(up 11.11%), LEENO Industrial Inc(058470)(up 6.14%), PSK INC.(319660)(up 1.47%), EO Technics Co., Ltd.(039030)(up 5.83%), and SAM CHUN DANG PHARM CO. LTD(000250)(up 1.13%) are all rising. In contrast, HLB INC.(028300)(down 1.81%) is showing weakness.