[Edaily Reporter Shin Ha-yeon ] The KOSPI, which had risen as much as 3% early in the session, has given up all its gains and continues to trade lower around the 6,900 level in the afternoon. While retail and foreign investors are net buyers, institutional investors are selling, putting downward pressure on the index. The KOSDAQ is down more than 2%.

According to MP Doctor on the 18th, as of 1:19 p.m. today, the KOSPI is trading at 6,939.34, down 38.60 points (0.55%) from the previous trading day. The index opened at 7,127.77, up 2.15% from the previous trading day, and rose by more than 3% to surpass the 7,200 mark. However, it quickly gave up those gains during the morning session, turned lower, and even fell as low as 6,866.40.

In terms of market participation, foreign investors and retail investors are net buyers of 468.2 billion won and 191.9 billion won, respectively. In contrast, institutional investors are net sellers of 599.5 billion won, driving the index lower. Program trading, combining arbitrage and non-arbitrage trades, shows a net selling position of 769.6 billion won.

The performance of large-cap semiconductor stocks, which had driven the index higher early in the session, is now mixed. SamsungElectronics(005930)has given up its gains and is trading at 271,750 won, down 2,750 won (1.00%) from the previous trading day. SK hynix(000660)is maintaining its strength, trading at 1,686,000 won, up 41,000 won (2.49%).

This stands in contrast to earlier intraday trading, when SamsungElectronics rose 4.92% from the previous close to 288,000 won, and SK hynix surged 8.95% to 1,792,000 won.

By sector, the market is generally weak. IT services are down by around 4%, and transportation equipment and parts, securities, entertainment and culture, construction, machinery and equipment, pharmaceuticals, electricity and gas, medical and precision instruments, general services, textiles and apparel, real estate, and chemicals are all declining. In contrast, insurance, transportation and warehousing, and electrical and electronics are showing strength.

Among the top market-cap stocks, SKSQUARE(402340)is up 1.30%, while Samsung Life Insurance(032830)(3.99%) and SAMSUNG C&T CORPORATION(028260)(0.95%) are also rising. Conversely, SamsungElectroMechanics(009150)(-5.07%), HyundaiMotor(005380)(-2.87%), LG Energy Solution(373220)(-4.19%), and SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS(207940)(-1.23%) are trading lower. In particular, SamsungElectroMechanics and LG Energy Solution are falling by 4–5%, putting pressure on the index.

At the same time, the KOSDAQ index is trading at 846.84, down 17.81 points (2.06%) from the previous trading day. In terms of supply and demand, foreign and institutional investors are net sellers by 29.7 billion won and 235.6 billion won, respectively. Retail investors are the only group showing net buying, with 269.7 billion won.

Most of the top-market-cap stocks on the KOSDAQ are generally trading lower. Alteogen Inc.(196170)is trading at 303,000 won, down 3.50%, while ECOPRO CO., LTD(086520)(-4.49%), ECOPRO BM CO., LTD.(247540)(-4.80%), Rainbow Robotics(277810)(-3.89%), LEENO Industrial Inc(058470)(-2.97%), and #ABL Bio Inc. (-3.33%) are all down.

On the other hand, JUSUNG ENGINEERING Co.,Ltd.(036930)is up 3.37%, and EO Technics Co., Ltd.(039030)(3.59%) and HLB INC.(028300)(0.81%) are also on the rise.