[Edaily Reporter KIM YOON-JEONG ] The KOSPI continued to rise by more than 1% on the afternoon of the 22nd, holding steady above the 7,100 mark. This is attributed to improved investor sentiment following a sharp surge in artificial intelligence (AI)-related stocks on the New York Stock Exchange overnight, coupled with a stabilization in international oil prices and U.S. Treasury yields. Although retail investors have sold off more than 1.7 trillion won worth of shares, foreign investors and institutions—led by other corporations—are stepping in to buy, thereby propping up the index.

According to MP Doctor, as of 1:04 p.m. today, the KOSPI stood at 7,113.86, up 106.14 points (1.51%) from the previous trading day. The index opened at 7,161.61, up 153.89 points (2.20%) from the previous close, and rose as high as 7,171.44 during the session. Although it has since pared some of its gains, it remains above the 7,100 mark.
In terms of market participation, based on NextTrade (NXT) data, retail investors are net sellers of 1.7473 trillion won worth of stocks. In contrast, other corporate entities are propping up the index with net purchases of 1.1607 trillion won, while foreign investors and institutions are buying 475.2 billion won and 120.1 billion won worth of stocks, respectively.
Overnight, U.S. stock markets rose across the board, driven by a surge in AI-related stocks and declines in international oil prices and U.S. Treasury yields. On the 21st (local time), the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 2.26% to close at 27,122.09, setting a new all-time high. The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average also rose 1.49% and 0.71%, respectively.
Buying momentum spread across AI-related stocks as “Muse,” a personal productivity Agent AI launched by Meta earlier this month, topped the free app charts on the Apple App Store. Meta’s stock surged more than 11%, and Intel also rose 12.14% on expectations of increased demand for central processing units (CPUs) needed to power Agent AI agents. AMD jumped 9.95%, surpassing a market capitalization of $1 trillion for the first time in its history.
Pressure on the domestic stock market from oil prices and interest rates has also eased. As expectations for a diplomatic resolution between the U.S. and Iran grew, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil closed down 4.5% at $95.78 per barrel. Brent crude also fell 3.4% to $100.34. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note dropped 4.2 basis points to 4.954%, falling below the 5% mark.
Kim Ki-baek, an analyst at Shinhan Investment Securities, said, “With U.S. President Donald Trump mentioning the possibility of a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian ahead of the UN General Assembly, market attention is focused on whether talks in the Middle East will materialize,” adding "As a result, oil prices have stabilized further—with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude approaching the $95-per-barrel mark—and the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield has fallen below 4.93%, easing macroeconomic concerns," he explained.
He continued, “With positive AI-related news, such as the strong performance of Meta’s Agent AI Muse, semiconductor and tech stocks—led by Intel and AMD—posted gains, and the Nasdaq hit a new all-time high,” adding, “In South Korea, the KOSPI broke through its 120-day moving average as SamsungElectronics, SK hynix, and SKSQUARE continued their upward trend.”
Among the top-market-cap stocks, SamsungElectronics(005930)is trading at 281,000 won, up 2.55%. SK hynix(000660)is also up 1.71% at 1.9 million won. SKSQUARE(402340)(2.75%), HyundaiMotor(005380)(1.11%), and others are rising, and SamsungElectroMechanics(009150)(5.67%) is also showing strength. On the other hand, LG Energy Solution(373220)(-0.14%), SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS(207940)(-0.43%), KB Financial Group(105560)(-1.07%), and others are trading lower.
By sector, construction is showing strength, rising 4.30%. IT services (2.39%), electrical and electronics (2.11%), manufacturing (1.66%), and machinery and equipment (1.64%) are also on the rise. Conversely, food, beverages, and tobacco are down 1.51%, while entertainment and culture (-1.23%), insurance (-0.92%), chemicals (-0.90%), and pharmaceuticals (-0.84%) are also trading lower.
At the same time, the KOSDAQ Index is trading at 839.76, up 3.49 points (0.42%) from the previous trading day. While retail investors are net buying 161.2 billion won worth of stocks, foreign and institutional investors are net selling 101.9 billion won and 48.4 billion won worth, respectively.
Alteogen Inc.(196170)(-0.78%), the company with the largest market capitalization on KOSDAQ, is down, while ECOPRO CO., LTD(086520)(0.75%), the second-largest, is up.
In addition, ECOPRO BM CO., LTD.(247540)(1.06%), Rainbow Robotics(277810)(1.82%), LEENO Industrial Inc(058470)(5.23%), and SIMMTECH Co., Ltd.(222800)(14.23%) are showing strength, while EO Technics Co., Ltd.(039030)(-1.86%) and JUSUNG ENGINEERING Co.,Ltd.(036930)(-0.24%) are among those showing weakness.