KOSPI Composite Index Plunges More Than 6% After Hitting 8,000, Falls Back Below 7,500 [fn Closing Market]

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[Financial News] The KOSPI Composite Index briefly broke above the 8,000-point mark during intraday trading before reversing course and ending the session in the 7,490 range. Selling pressure from foreign investors and institutions also triggered a sell-side circuit breaker.
According to KRX on the 15th, the KOSPI Composite Index finished at 7,493.18, down 488.23 points, or 6.12%, from the previous day. The index touched 8,046.78 at one point in the morning, up 0.82%, but then turned lower and widened its losses.
In the main board market, individual investors bought a net 8.2725 trillion won, while foreign investors and institutions sold a net 6.3033 trillion won and 2.2261 trillion won, respectively.
At 1:28 p.m., KOSPI 200 Index futures fell 5.09% from the previous close, prompting a temporary suspension of program sell orders, known as a sell-side circuit breaker, on the KOSPI Composite Index.
The measure is triggered when KOSPI 200 Index futures remain down more than 5% from the previous day for at least one minute, and it suspends program sell orders for five minutes.
All sectors on the KOSPI Composite Index declined. Health Care Equipment & Precision Instruments (-8.75%), KRX Construction Index (-8.27%), and Electric and Electronics (-7.64%) were among the weakest performers.
Among large-cap stocks, LG Electronics (11.52%), Samsung Electro-Mechanics (1.27%), and Hyundai Motor Company (0.28%) rose, while Samsung C&T Corporation (-9.05%), Samsung Life Insurance (-6.97%), and Samsung Electronics (-6.25%) fell.
The KOSDAQ closed at 1,129.82, down 61.27 points, or 5.14%, from the previous day. Foreign investors bought a net 369.6 billion won, while individuals and institutions sold a net 158.7 billion won and 159 billion won, respectively.
Kang Jin-hyuk, a researcher at Shinhan Securities, said, "While Korea's semiconductor market took a breather, the index broke above 8,000 points on gains in robotics and secondary batteries before turning lower." He added, "Large-cap stocks on the KOSPI were dumped amid concerns over Donald Trump's warning to Iran, rising interest rates following Japan's producer price surprise, and fading expectations for supply-chain fragmentation benefits from cooperation between the United States and China."
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koreanbae@fnnews.com Bae Han-geul Reporter