Overview
- The Kospi has climbed roughly 22–23% from its July 30 low, crossing the common 20% threshold used to define a technical bull market.
- Large gains in Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix powered the advance, with both stocks rising mid- to high-single-digit percentages during the rally reported across Asian trading.
- A media report that state investor Temasek may make direct investments in the two chipmakers has amplified buying but remains unconfirmed by Temasek.
- Foreign institutional investors were the main buyers during the rebound while local retail investors sold, and exchanges reported multi-session net purchases by overseas funds.
- Regulatory tighter margin rules and curbs on single-stock leveraged ETFs have reduced the risk of forced liquidations, but heavy index concentration, more than $100 billion of year-to-date foreign outflows, and reliance on sustained AI capex keep volatility and downside risks intact.