Overview
- The KOSPI staged a sharp intraday reversal to close higher on Monday after heavy institutional buying narrowed early losses and pushed the index up about 1.76 percent.
- Stocks reopened weak on Tuesday with the KOSPI down roughly 2.26 percent to around 5,637 as investors took profits and rechecked exposure to AI value‑chain names.
- Institutions were net buyers during Monday’s session while foreign and retail investors reduced positions, with reported institutional net purchases in the hundreds of billions of won.
- Large-cap tech bellwethers such as Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are driving much of the index’s swings because their moves have outsized effects on the KOSPI.
- Traders say U.S. tech moves, uncertainty over the interest-rate outlook, and upcoming U.S. corporate earnings create the near-term risks that could keep volatility elevated and affect Korean households and fund flows.