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8h ago

Seoul Stocks Rally as U.S. Extends Tariff Pause and Signals New Duties

Strong retail inflows driven by confidence in Seoul’s trade negotiations, backed by regulatory reforms, have kept the market firm in the face of fresh U.S. tariff threats.

This photo, taken July 9, 2025, shows the dealing room of Hana Bank in central Seoul. (Yonhap)
This photo taken July 8, 2025, shows the dealing room of Hana Bank in central Seoul. (Yonhap)
This photo shows the dealing room of Hana Bank in central Seoul on July 9, 2025. (Yonhap)
This photo taken July 8, 2025, shows the dealing room of Hana Bank in central Seoul. (Yonhap)

Overview

  • President Trump pushed back the start of 25% reciprocal tariffs on South Korean goods to August 1 and announced plans for 50% duties on copper and up to 200% levies on pharmaceuticals and semiconductors.
  • The KOSPI hit a new 2025 intraday peak of 3,137.17 on July 9 and remained near record highs courtesy of robust domestic buying.
  • Retail investors net purchased 435 billion won in Kospi stocks on July 9, offsetting foreign and institutional net sales of 423 billion won and 61 billion won respectively.
  • The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy vowed to intensify U.S. negotiations and highlighted recent pro-market reforms, including the Commercial Act revision, to shore up confidence.
  • Samsung Electronics reported a 55.9% year-on-year drop in second-quarter operating profit, citing weak chip demand and fallout from U.S. trade policies.