Semiconductors and China-Related Stocks Shine in the Market... KOSPI and KOSDAQ Close Higher

Amid favorable trends in semiconductors and China-related stocks, the KOSPI closed slightly higher on the 1st.

Employees are working in the dealing room at the Hana Bank headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun jun21@

On that day, the KOSPI index closed at 2747.86, up 1.23 points (0.04%) from the previous trading day. The index opened at 2766.24, up 19.61 points (0.71%), but the gains gradually narrowed thereafter. Foreign investors bought 272.2 billion KRW, institutions purchased 24.3 billion KRW, while individuals sold 315.7 billion KRW alone.

Among the top market capitalization stocks, NAVER (3.68%), SK Hynix (1.37%), Meritz Financial Group (0.37%), Kakao (0.19%), and LG Energy Solution (0.13%) rose. Conversely, Samsung SDI (-2.69%), POSCO Future M (-2.47%), Hyundai Motor (-1.87%), LG Chem (-1.94%), Samsung Biologics (-1.81%), Celltrion (-1.62%), KB Financial Group (-1.58%), Hyundai Mobis (-1.57%), and Kia (-1.36%) declined.

Ji-won Kim and Jeong-eun Lim, researchers at KB Securities, said, "The March export figures for Korea released that day showed continued growth in the IT sector exports, maintaining an upward trend," adding, "Samsung Electronics expanded its intraday gains but lost momentum toward the end, taking a breather." SK Hynix also hit a new high amid expectations of earnings improvement due to semiconductor market recovery ahead of the first-quarter earnings season.

Additionally, researchers Kim and Lim noted, "China-related stocks showed a concurrent strong performance," and added, "Expectations for China's economic improvement, along with strong domestic cosmetics exports and the upcoming Qingming Festival holiday, acted as driving forces for the rise."

By industry, textiles and apparel (4.73%), food and beverages (3.13%), machinery (2.02%), construction (1.76%), transportation and warehousing (1.70%), chemicals (1.30%), and services (1.26%) rose. In contrast, securities (-1.60%), finance (-1.10%), pharmaceuticals (-0.96%), insurance (-0.64%), and transportation equipment (-0.63%) sectors declined.

The KOSDAQ showed relatively strong performance. The KOSDAQ index rose 6.95 points (0.77%) to 912.45 compared to the previous session. The index opened at 909.62, up 4.12 points (0.45%), and maintained the upward trend. Foreigners and institutions bought 68.5 billion KRW and 55.4 billion KRW respectively, while individuals sold 99.7 billion KRW.

Among the top market capitalization stocks, Enchem (9.03%), Classys (7.93%), Lino Industrial (4.89%), Dongjin Semichem (3.83%), Hugel (3.72%), and Shinseong Delta Tech (2.95%) rose. Conversely, Alteogen (-5.62%), EO Technics (-5.47%), HLB Life Science (-4.21%), and , (-3.01%) declined.

In the Seoul foreign exchange market that day, the KRW-USD exchange rate closed at 1349.4 won, up 2.2 won from the previous trading day.