 |
| ▲ The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) is displayed on a screen in a dealing room of Hana Bank in Seoul on Jan. 6, 2026, after having surpassed the 4,500-mark for the first time. (Yonhap) |
(LEAD) stocks-summary
(LEAD) KOSPI tops 4,500 for 1st time on techs, brokerages, shipbuilders
(ATTN: RECASTS headline; UPDATES with details in paras 7-16; CHANGES photo)
SEOUL, Jan. 6 (Yonhap) -- Seoul shares jumped more than 1.5 percent Tuesday to close at above the historic milestone of 4,500 on the back of a rise in semiconductors, brokerages and shipbuilders. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) climbed 67.96 points, or 1.52 percent, to finish at a new record high of 4,525.48, breaking the 4,500-point mark for the first time.
The index broke through the 4,400-point threshold the previous session on continued gains in technology stocks.
Trading volume was heavy at 492.84 million shares worth 25.27 trillion won (US$17.4 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 482 to 394.
The index opened lower, bucking overnight gains on Wall Street, but later turned higher as retail investors scooped up technology and other large-cap stocks.
Individuals bought a net 597.55 billion won worth of shares, offsetting net selling by foreigners and institutions totaling 618.83 billion won and 68.93 billion won, respectively.
Foreign investors turned net sellers Tuesday after purchasing more than 2.8 trillion won worth of shares over the past two sessions.
"Technology stocks remained weak on profit taking in the morning session, but turned higher on retail buying in the afternoon trading. Individual investors also purchased defense and shipbuilding stocks on expectations of strong earnings results in 2025," said No Dong-kil, an analyst at Shinhan Securities Co.
Technology, defense, brokerage and shipbuilding stocks led the gains.
Market behemoth Samsung Electronics rose 0.58 percent to 138,900 won, while chip giant SK hynix jumped 4.31 percent to 726,000 won.
Leading shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries soared 7.21 percent to 550,000 won, and Korea Aerospace Industries surged 9.41 percent to 136,100 won.
Defense giant Hanwha Aerospace gained 0.99 percent to 1,022,000 won, and Samsung Securities was up 3.66 percent to 79,200 won.
Among decliners, No. 2 carmaker Kia slipped 0.08 percent to 122,500 won, and national flag carrier Korean Air declined 0.44 percent to 22,500 won.
No. 2 steelmaker Hyundai Steel shed 1.33 percent to 29,650 won, and leading chemical firm LG Chem dropped 0.45 percent to 328,500 won.
The local currency was quoted at 1,445.50 won against the greenback at 3:30 p.m., down 1.7 won from the previous session.
(END)
(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved
