KOSPI Closes Above 8,000 for the First Time on Institutional Buying...Foreigners Post Net Selling for 13 Straight Sessions [Fn Market Wrap]

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[Financial News] The KOSPI closed above the 8,000 level for the first time on a closing basis, supported by net buying from institutions. Early in the session, institutions and foreign investors both bought heavily, briefly pushing the index above 8,100, but foreign investors turned to net selling just before the close, leaving the market to finish in the 8,040 range.
According to the KRX on the 26th, the KOSPI ended the session at 8,047.51, up 199.80 points, or 2.55%, from the previous trading day. The index opened 2.84% higher at 8,079.91 and extended its gains, briefly climbing above 8,100 during the day.
On the KOSPI Market, institutions bought a net 911.1 billion won, while foreign investors and individual investors sold a net 184.0 billion won and 616.7 billion won, respectively. Foreign investors at one point posted net buying of more than 500 billion won intraday and maintained a buying lead of about 340 billion won until just before the close, but they again switched to net selling, extending their selling streak to 13 consecutive sessions.
By sector, transportation equipment and parts (4.13%), electrical and electronic equipment (3.93%), and manufacturing (3.43%) led the gains, while textiles and apparel (-4.01%), insurance (-2.80%), and food, beverage and tobacco (-2.09%) lagged.
Among the large-cap stocks, gains in major semiconductor names stood out. SK hynix rose 5.72% and Samsung Electronics gained 2.22%, while Samsung Electro-Mechanics, which is being revalued as a key supplier of AI infrastructure components, jumped 17.31% from the previous session. In contrast, Samsung Life Insurance (-4.53%), Samsung C&T (-2.26%), and Shinhan Financial Group (-2.24%) weakened.
The KOSDAQ also closed higher, finishing at 1,172.52, up 11.39 points, or 0.98%, from the previous trading day. Individual investors bought a net 224.1 billion won, while institutions and foreign investors sold a net 33.7 billion won and 147.6 billion won, respectively.
Brokerage analysts said risk appetite is recovering as news of progress in ceasefire talks between the United States and Iran boosts sentiment.
Im Jeong-eun, a researcher at KB Securities, said, "Expectations for an end to the war spread after reports that the 60-day ceasefire extension between the United States and Iran and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) were imminent. As a result, West Texas Intermediate crude oil (WTI) briefly fell below $90 intraday, showing signs of stabilization." She added, "As hopes for negotiations grew, funds that had been held back during the holiday period flowed back in amid stable oil prices and interest rates."
koreanbae@fnnews.com Bae Han-geul Reporter