'Value-Up Stocks Rally' KOSPI Closes Higher... KOSDAQ Declines

Supported by the rally in value-up related stocks, the KOSPI closed higher on the 20th, recovering the 2480 level.

On the day, the KOSPI closed at 2482.29, up 10.34 points (0.42%) from the previous trading day. The index opened at 2475.76, up 3.81 points (0.15%), and continued its upward trend. Foreign investors sold off 185.8 billion KRW worth of shares, but institutions and individuals net bought 170.9 billion KRW and 85.1 billion KRW worth, respectively.

Employees are working in the dealing room of Hana Bank in Euljiro, Seoul. Photo by Huh Young-han

Among the top market capitalization stocks, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (5.12%), KB Financial Group (4.37%), Shinhan Financial Group (3.72%), Kia (2.94%), Samsung Biologics (2.07%), Hyundai Mobis (1.80%), and LG Energy Solution (1.78%) rose. Samsung Electronics (-1.78%), Samsung Electronics Preferred (-1.45%), and Celltrion (-0.70%) declined. Semiconductor stocks excluding Samsung Electronics showed strength in the early session, reflecting expectations for the third-quarter earnings of Nvidia, the U.S. artificial intelligence (AI) leader, but trimmed gains in the afternoon.

By sector, food and beverages (3.11%), telecommunications (1.91%), finance (1.78%), pharmaceuticals (1.71%), transportation equipment (1.67%), and insurance (0.98%) rose. Conversely, construction (-1.09%), electric and gas utilities (-1.05%), textiles and apparel (-0.65%), electrical and electronics (-0.64%), and paper and wood (-0.57%) sectors declined.

Ji-won Kim, a researcher at KB Securities, analyzed, "Foreign capital outflows continued, and there was no clear leading sector," but added, "However, the strength in automobile and financial stocks extended the upward trend." He also noted, "News that a 200 billion KRW value-up fund will begin full-scale investments from the 21st led to the rally in value-up related stocks," and "The planned additional fund raising of 300 billion KRW within this year also acted as an upward momentum."

The KOSDAQ index recorded 682.91, down 3.21 points (0.47%) from the previous session. The index opened at 689.03, up 2.91 points (0.42%), but turned downward amid weakness in large-cap stocks. Foreigners and institutions net sold 55.8 billion KRW and 35.7 billion KRW, respectively. Individuals bought 83.1 billion KRW alone.

Among the top market capitalization stocks, Classys (4.65%), Pearl Abyss (4.40%), Naturecell (3.62%), Samchundang Pharm (3.30%), Hugel (3.11%), PharmaResearch (2.60%), and EcoPro (1.89%) rose. Meanwhile, Peptron (-9.04%), Alteogen (-6.78%), Rigachem Bio (-4.42%), Celltrion Pharm (-2.10%), and SM (-1.98%) closed lower.