KOSPI closes at 5,677.25, setting a new all-time high… Samsung Electronics tops 190,000 won

KOSPI closes up 3.09% at 5,677.25

On the 19th, the first trading session after the Lunar New Year holiday, the KOSPI surged more than 3% to rewrite its all-time high yet again. Samsung Electronics led the rally, breaking above 190,000 won on a closing basis for the first time.

The KOSDAQ climbed even more sharply, triggering an intraday buy-sidecar, and continued to extend gains to nearly 5%.

On the 19th, the KOSPI ended the session at 5,677.25, up 170.24 points (3.09%) from the previous day. It also set a fresh intraday record, rising to as high as 5,681.65.

Institutions drove the benchmark higher, posting net purchases of 1.6380 trillion won worth of shares on the main board. Foreign investors sold 918.0 billion won worth of cash equities, but bought KOSPI 200 futures worth 777.8 billion won. Retail investors recorded net sales of 860.7 billion won.

Most top market-cap stocks advanced.

Samsung Electronics gained 4.86% to close at 190,000 won.

SK hynix recovered the 900,000-won level intraday but gave back part of the gains to finish up 1.59% at 894,000 won. SK Square rose 1.43%.

Hyundai Motor and Kia added 2.81% and 3.6%, respectively, while LG Energy Solution rose 2.15%.

HD Hyundai Heavy Industries jumped 5.71% on expectations after the U.S. administration unveiled a roadmap for shipbuilding cooperation with South Korea.

KB Financial fell 0.83% as profit-taking emerged following a sharp pre-holiday rally.

The KOSDAQ closed at 1,160.71, up 54.63 points (4.94%) from the previous day. Although it initially lagged the KOSPI, concentrated buying by foreigners and institutions triggered a temporary halt in the effectiveness of program buy quotes (buy-sidecar) at around 10:41 a.m. Gains continued thereafter.

In this market, institutions and foreigners posted net purchases of 1.0429 trillion won and 857.0 billion won worth of shares, respectively. Retail investors sold 1.8308 trillion won.

All top market-cap names on the KOSDAQ rose.

Ecopro surged 14.56%. Ecopro BM climbed 9.13%.

Biotech shares rose even more strongly. Caregen and Samchundang Pharm gained 20.2% and 19.44%, respectively. Peptron also jumped 14.75%.

Rainbow Robotics advanced 7.16%.

In the Seoul foreign exchange market, the won-dollar exchange rate is trading at 1,445.5 won per dollar, up 0.9 won (0.06%) from the previous day.

Han Kyeong-woo, Hankyung.com reporter case@hankyung.com