Early Session Slightly Firm KOSPI... Surpasses 3210 Level

Individual Buying Strength... Foreigners Turn to Selling After 4 Trading Days

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[Asia Economy Reporter Minwoo Lee] The KOSPI is hovering just below the 3210 mark after starting with a slight gain.

On the 19th, the KOSPI opened at 3201.11, up 0.08% (2.49 points) from the previous day. It has since fluctuated around the 3200 level and is showing a slight upward trend. As of 9:33 AM, it recorded 3211.97.

Foreign investors, who had shown net buying for four consecutive trading days, sold off 84.7 billion KRW. Institutions also sold 122.9 billion KRW worth of shares. On the other hand, individual investors bought 214.8 billion KRW worth of shares.

Most sectors rose. Pharmaceuticals had the largest gain at 1.68%, followed by finance (0.50%), machinery (0.33%), non-metallic minerals (0.27%), and services (0.27%). Banks (-0.72%), securities (-0.52%), and telecommunications (-0.38%) declined.

Among the top 10 companies by market capitalization, more stocks rose than fell. Samsung Biologics led with a 3.3% increase, followed by Kakao (2.1%), Kia (0.9%), Celltrion (0.3%), SK Hynix (0.3%), LG Chem (0.3%), and NAVER (0.1%). Samsung SDI (-0.4%), Samsung Electronics (-0.3%), and Hyundai Motor (-0.2%) declined.

The KOSDAQ showed a similar trend. It opened at 1022.06, up 0.04% (0.44 points) from the previous day, fluctuated, but gradually trended upward. As of 9:33 AM, it rose to 1025.02.

In the KOSDAQ market, individual investors were the sole buyers, net purchasing 80.6 billion KRW, while foreign investors and institutions sold 44.6 billion KRW and 31.3 billion KRW respectively.

Again, more sectors rose than fell. Semiconductors (1.27%), pharmaceuticals (1.03%), textiles and apparel (0.90%), construction (0.91%), and metals (0.67%) led the gains. Internet (-1.07%), digital content (-0.98%), and entertainment and culture (-0.96%) declined.

Among the top 10 by market capitalization, Seegene had the highest increase at 5.6%, followed by CJ ENM (0.9%), Celltrion Pharm (0.7%), Kakao Games (0.5%), SK Materials (0.3%), EcoPro BM (0.2%), and Celltrion Healthcare (0.1%). Pearl Abyss (-2.6%), HLB (-1.1%), and Alteogen (-0.4%) declined.