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The KOSPI closed at 8,476.15, marking a 3.55% gain and crossing the 8,400 threshold for the first time. However, with only 18% of stocks seeing gains, the market is heavily skewed toward a few large-cap AI stocks. While foreign investors continue their long-term net selling, individual investors are actively supporting the index.
The KOSPI struggled to hold the 8,100 line, facing a correction driven by sustained foreign selling and renewed U.S.-Iran tensions. Despite aggressive buying from retail investors, the market is seeing a worrying concentration in semiconductors.
KOSPI climbed to the upper 8,200s but reversed sharply Thursday afternoon, down over 1% as foreigners extended their 14th consecutive day of net selling amid Middle East tensions. Semiconductor profit-taking and supply-demand imbalances between institutional and retail investors are weighing on the market.
On May 22, 2026, KOSPI closed slightly higher in cautious trading, while KOSDAQ jumped about 5% to 1,161.13—its highest level in 25 years—on expectations that 45 trillion won from the government's 150 trillion won national growth fund will flow into small-cap and tech stocks. Foreign investors, despite 12 consecutive trading days of net selling in KOSPI, switched to net buying in KOSDAQ, showing mixed market sentiment.
2026년 5월 19일 코스피는 외국인의 8거래일 연속 순매도에 따른 강한 매도 압력으로 7,200선 아래로 급락 마감했으며, 코스닥 역시 동반 약세를 보였다. 외국인은 하루에만 약 6조 원어치를 순매도하며 반도체·자동차 대형주를 집중 매도했고, 중동 지정학적 긴장 고조 속 방산주만 홀로 강세를 보인 점이 이날 시장의 핵심 동인이었다.
South Korea's stock market faced severe selling pressure on May 18, 2026, as foreign investors dumped shares and U.S. Treasury yields spiked. The Kospi plummeted below the 7,300 level, marking the ninth consecutive day of foreign net selling. A second consecutive sell-side circuit breaker was triggered. In just one week (May 12–16), foreigners sold off $13.2 billion (roughly 18 trillion won) worth of Korean stocks, pushing market volatility near record highs.
지난 5월 15일 금요일, KOSPI가 사상 처음으로 장중 8,000포인트를 돌파했으나 외국인 투자자들이 5.6조 원 규모의 차익 실현 매물을 쏟아내며 지수가 7,493선으로 6% 넘게 급락했습니다. 역사상 가장 큰 일일 낙폭을 기록한 이날, 개인 투자자들은 하락에 베팅하는 역방향 ETF에 34조 원을 투입하며 시장의 극심한 변동성을 반영했습니다.
On Friday, May 15, 2026, the KOSPI made history by touching the 8,000-point mark for the first time, only to suffer a massive 6% collapse, ending the day below 7,500. The KOSDAQ also fell as AI semiconductor giants like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix led the slide. The record-breaking sell-off by foreign investors and the union’s strike notice for May 18 were key factors driving the market decline.
On May 14, 2026, KOSPI traded in strong consolidation territory, testing the 7,900 level intraday, even as foreign investors continued net selling for five consecutive trading days, amplifying volatility. The previous day (May 13) saw KOSPI spike to 7,999 intraday before foreign net selling of 5.7 trillion won triggered a sharp 578-point plunge to close at 7,643. Bloomberg reported that global fund outflows from Korean stocks are accelerating despite the recent rally. As semiconductor momentum eases, buying power has rotated into battery, auto parts, and power equipment sectors, prompting KB Securities to raise its KOSPI target to 10,500.
On May 11, 2026, KOSPI surged intraday past 7,800 points, marking an all-time high, while Korea's total stock market capitalization exceeded 7 trillion won for the first time. The rally was led by AI and semiconductor buying, with domestic institutions and retail investors offsetting foreign selling pressure, helping the market maintain strength despite Middle Eastern geopolitical tensions tied to Iran risks.
On May 8 (Thu), the KOSPI hit an all-time closing high despite a 5 trillion won net sell-off by foreigners, thanks to strong buying from retail and institutional investors. KOSDAQ remained steady despite slight losses, as the market shrugged off rising tensions in the Middle East and a spike in the KRW/USD exchange rate. The Hyundai Motor Group rally and late-day bargain hunting were the main drivers for both indices.
On May 6, 2026, the KOSPI hit a historic milestone by crossing the 7,000 mark and soaring as high as 7,300. Fueled by a massive 1.68 trillion KRW net buying spree from foreign investors, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix jumped over 10% each, keeping the Korean market as the strongest performer globally.
On May 1st, 2026, KOSPI rebounded on foreign investor net buying but retail investors poured 645.4 billion won into inverse ETFs, doubling down on downside bets. Foreign buying concentrated in semiconductor large-caps propped up the index, which is now hovering roughly 400 points below the 7,000 level. After hitting an all-time intraday high of 6,750.27 points on April 30th, the market has seen renewed volatility as the Fed's hawkish stance and surging international oil prices (breaking $126/barrel) collided with investor sentiment.
2026년 4월 30일, KOSPI가 장중 6,750.27을 찍으며 또 한 번 역사를 썼습니다! 삼성전자가 23만 원을 터치하며 지수를 멱살 잡고 끌어올리는 모양새인데요. 미국 빅테크의 실적 호조와 AI 수요 기대감에 외국인들이 한국 시장으로 대거 몰려들고 있습니다. 다만 KOSPI가 7,000을 향해 무섭게 달리는 와중에 대형주와 중소형주 간의 'K자형' 양극화는 좀 고민해봐야 할 지점이네요.
On April 27, 2026, the KOSPI surged to a record intraday high of 6,603.01, and the total market capitalization of the South Korean stock market surpassed 6 quadrillion won for the first time. Despite the stalemate in U.S.-Iran negotiations, the rally was driven by strong investor interest in AI and semiconductor stocks.
On Friday, April 24, the KOSPI took a breather after three straight record-high days, closing flat at 6,470. Meanwhile, the KOSDAQ made history by breaking through the 1,200 mark for the first time in 25 years. Foreign investors offloaded over 2.1 trillion KRW in KOSPI stocks to lock in profits, but domestic retail and institutional investors stepped in to hold the line amidst rising tensions in the Middle East and U.S.-Iran relations.
On April 24, 2026, the KOSPI index dipped slightly to close at 6,470, ending its three-day record-breaking rally. Meanwhile, the KOSDAQ grabbed headlines by crossing the 1,200 mark for the first time in 25 years. The market was pressured by foreign investors offloading over 2.1 trillion won in KOSPI stocks for profit-taking, along with rising anxieties over instability in the Middle East.
2026년 4월 23일, KOSPI가 6,475.81로 마감하며 3일 연속 역대 최고가를 갈아치웠습니다. 삼성전자의 3.22% 급등과 외국인의 반도체 집중 매수세가 상승장을 이끌었죠. 다만 4월 24일에는 중동 긴장 고조로 아시아 증시가 전반적으로 하락 압력을 받고 있어, 6,500선 안착 여부가 관전 포인트가 될 전망입니다.
코스피가 2026년 4월 21일 사상 최고치인 6,388포인트를 기록했고, SK하이닉스는 주당 120만 원을 넘어서며 역대 최고가를 달성했다. 반도체 강세와 미국-이란 휴전 기대감 속 외국인·기관의 동시 매수가 지수 상승을 견인했다.
On April 21, the KOSPI index shattered its previous record set before the Iran conflict, reaching an all-time high. Optimism regarding a U.S.-Iran ceasefire and stellar earnings expectations for SK Hynix fueled a rally in semiconductor and battery stocks, while Samsung Group ETFs soared 57% year-to-date. Global investors have turned bullish, with Goldman Sachs raising its KOSPI target to 8,000.
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