According to MP Doctor on the 8th, as of 9:34 a.m., the KOSPI stood at 7,063.89, up 68.50 points (0.98%) from the previous trading day. The KOSPI opened at 7,045.79 and has since extended its gains. This marks the first time the KOSPI has surpassed the 7,000 mark during intraday trading since the 18th of last month. The previous day, it closed at 6,995.39, bringing a break above the 7,000 level within reach.
However, in contrast to the index’s rise, the perceived upward momentum of individual stocks remains limited. As of 9:34 a.m., 299 stocks on the KOSPI were up, 71 were unchanged, and 532 were down. Even as the index rose by nearly 1%, the number of declining stocks outnumbered the number of rising ones.
The rally was notably driven by large-cap stocks. Large-caps rose 0.85%, while mid-caps gained only 0.24% and small-caps fell 0.29%. In terms of supply and demand, institutional investors are net buyers of 357.9 billion won on the KOSPI. Retail investors and foreign investors are net sellers of 429.6 billion won and 118.3 billion won, respectively.
Among the top market-cap stocks, SK hynix is showing a strong performance. SK hynix is trading at 1,832,000 won, up 2.78% from the previous trading day. Having surpassed the 1.8 million won mark today, it has regained this level for the first time since its closing price on July 27. #SamsungElectronics is also up 0.74% at 272,000 won. #SKSQUARE is up 2.13%, and #SAMSUNG C&T CORPORATION is up 1.43%.
In contrast, #SamsungElectroMechanics is down 2.34%, while #SamsungHeavyIndustries and #HyundaiMotor are down 1.93% and 1.27%, respectively. #SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS and #KB Financial Group are also down 0.61% and 0.28%, respectively, indicating mixed performance even among the top market-cap stocks.
By sector, construction is recording the largest gain, rising 3.95%. Machinery and equipment are also up 3.56%, while electricity and gas (2.25%) and general services (2.04%) are showing strength. Entertainment and culture are up 1.65%, finance is up 0.91%, and medical and precision instruments are up 0.85%.
The KOSDAQ is showing a relatively smaller gain. At the same time, the KOSDAQ index stands at 824.36, up 2.17 points (0.26%) from the previous trading day. There are 624 stocks up, 117 unchanged, and 987 down, with declining stocks outnumbering rising ones. By investor type, retail investors are net buyers of 135.2 billion won, while foreign and institutional investors are net sellers of 76.7 billion won and 63.4 billion won, respectively.
Among the top-market-cap stocks on the KOSDAQ, semiconductor-related stocks continue to show strength. #JUSUNG ENGINEERING Co.,Ltd. surged 6.84%, and #SIMMTECH Co., Ltd. rose 4.09%, #LEENO Industrial Inc. 2.19%, #HPSP Co., Ltd. 1.69%, and #EO Technics Co., Ltd. 0.77%, among others. In contrast, #Alteogen Inc. fell 2.97% and #Rainbow Robotics dropped 1%.
The market is focusing on the possibility of simultaneous sector-specific profit-taking and rotational trading following the sharp rally the previous day. Since the start of September, sectors that were strong in August—such as cosmetics, IT and home appliances, chemicals, and non-ferrous metals and timber—have turned weak, while the semiconductor sector continues its upward trend.
In particular, while semiconductor stock gains had been limited since late August despite strong earnings from NVIDIA and Broadcom, analysts note that expectations for expanded AI investment and demand for high-performance memory have resurfaced following OpenAI’s launch of GPT-6 Astra. Yesterday, SamsungElectronics and SK hynix surged 5.68% and 8.26%, respectively, leading the KOSPI higher.
However, given that the KOSPI surged 4.61% the previous day, the possibility of short-term profit-taking remains. With foreign investors turning to net selling on the KOSPI today while institutions are stepping in to buy, it will be crucial to see whether foreign capital flows will resume.
Han Ji-young, an analyst at KIWOOM Securities, said, “Given the recent sharp short-term rally, there is room for temporary profit-taking and a pullback in the KOSPI, particularly in the semiconductor sector,” adding, “The key question is whether foreign investors will continue to net buy even during a pullback.” She added, “Another key point to watch is whether rotational buying shifts toward other core sectors—such as IT hardware, power equipment, and other AI infrastructure, as well as consumer goods and shareholder returns—during a short-term pause in the semiconductor sector lasting a day or two.”
