KOSPI Holds in the 7,900 Range Ahead of 8,000 as Retail and Institutional Buying Continue [fn Morning Market Update]

\r\n
\r\n[The Financial News] The KOSPI Composite Index was holding in the 7,900 range on the 12th as retail and institutional investors bought shares while foreign investors sold.
As of 9:55 a.m., the KOSPI Composite Index was trading at 7,922.08, up 99.84 points, or 1.28%, from the previous session. It opened at 7,953.41, up 131.17 points, or 1.68%, from the previous close.
On the Korea Exchange Main Board, retail and institutional investors have posted net purchases of 1.4695 trillion won and 500.2 billion won, respectively. Foreign investors, meanwhile, have recorded net sales of 2.0016 trillion won.
By sector, telecommunications rose 5.20%, followed by insurance at 2.83%, transportation and warehousing at 2.23%, transportation equipment and parts at 2.19%, machinery and equipment at 1.87%, electrical and electronics at 1.63%, and manufacturing at 1.49%. Real estate fell 2.50%, electricity and gas 2.03%, construction 1.99%, leisure and culture 1.77%, chemicals 1.72%, securities 1.70, and textiles and apparel 1.55%.
Among the largest-cap stocks, Samsung Electronics rose 0.18%, SK hynix 2.71%, Hyundai Motor Company 5.26%, Doosan Enerbility 2.50%, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries 4.09%, Samsung C&T Corporation 0.66%, Samsung Electro-Mechanics 8.33%, and Kia 0.23%. SK Square fell 0.34%, LG Energy Solution 2.46%, Hanwha Aerospace 1.14%, and KB Financial Group 1.51%.
While expectations remain high for AI semiconductors, concerns ahead of the United States' April Consumer Price Index (CPI) appear to have limited the market's gains.
Han Ji-young, a researcher at KIWOOM Securities Co., Ltd., said, "Domestic stocks are expected to face both downside factors, such as uncertainty over U.S.-Iran negotiations and caution ahead of the April CPI, and upside factors, such as the possibility of retail investors chasing gains in domestic semiconductors," adding, "Investors should note that the KOSPI Composite Index has jumped 18.5% in just five trading days since May, meaning the market is now in a phase where the rise in stock prices itself is becoming a burden."
At the same time, the KOSDAQ was trading at 1,217.95, up 10.61 points, or 0.88%, from the previous session. It opened at 1,214.90, up 7.56 points, or 0.63%, from the prior close.
On the KOSDAQ, institutional and foreign investors posted net purchases of 167.8 billion won and 130.6 billion won, respectively. Retail investors were net sellers of 274.8 billion won.
\r\n
yimsh0214@fnnews.com Lim Sang-hyeok Reporter