Overview
- The KOSPI opened lower after Nvidia's after-hours slide, then reversed into gains by late morning.
- The Bank of Korea kept the base rate at 2.5% and nudged its 2025 growth forecast to 0.9%.
- The index closed at 3,196.32, up 0.29%, with institutions net buying 326.3 billion won as foreigners and retail investors sold.
- Finance, defense and shipbuilding led advances, chips were split with Samsung Electronics down 1.42% and SK hynix up 3.27%, and battery makers fell.
- The won firmed to 1,387.5 per dollar and three- and five-year government yields edged up to 2.416% and 2.576%.