KOSPI Breaks Through 9,000 on Semiconductor Rally; KOSDAQ Falls Below 1,000 [Afternoon Market Update]

[Financial News] KOSPI broke through the 9,000 level for the first time, driven by gains in large semiconductor stocks. By contrast, KOSDAQ briefly slipped below the 1,000 mark under selling pressure from foreign investors and institutions.
According to the Korea Exchange (KRX) on the 18th, as of 2:17 p.m. that day, KOSPI was trading at 9,000.45, up 136.21 points, or 1.54%, from the previous session. The index opened at 8,884.92, up 0.23% from the previous day, then touched 9,040.52 before fluctuating around the 9,000 level.
In the KOSPI Market, individual investors were net buyers of 637.8 billion won, while foreign investors and institutions were net sellers of 297.6 billion won and 182.5 billion won, respectively.
Large semiconductor stocks such as SK hynix, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, and Samsung Electronics are driving the index higher as they post strong gains. SK hynix rose 6% from the previous session, surpassing 2.6 million won for the first time and moving toward the 2.7 million won level. Samsung Electro-Mechanics was trading at 2.22 million won, up 9.3% from the previous day, while Samsung Electronics was trading at 354,000 won, up 2.16%.
By sector, electricity and electronics rose 3.69%, manufacturing gained 2.32%, and insurance advanced 2.17%. Metals fell 4.69%, construction dropped 4.54%, and chemicals declined 4.47%.
Meanwhile, KOSDAQ is locked in a tug-of-war around the 1,000 level. At the same time, KOSDAQ was trading at 1,002.42, down 29.54 points, or 2.86%, from the previous session. Individual investors were net buyers of 480.6 billion won, while foreign investors and institutions were net sellers of 263.9 billion won and 209.6 billion won, respectively.
  
koreanbae@fnnews.com Bae Hangeul Reporter