Foreigners and Institutions Lead KOSPI Higher
KOSDAQ Weakens on Pharmaceuticals, Bio, Entertainment, and Robotics Stocks
Despite easing global trade tensions and expectations for tariff negotiations, the Korean stock market closed mixed on the 6th as sector differentiation progressed.
On the day, the KOSPI closed at 2,576.16, up 18.03 points (0.70%) from the previous day. The KOSPI index started at 2,573.55, up 15.42 points (0.60%), and maintained an upward trend throughout the session. Foreigners and institutions bought stocks worth 137.5 billion KRW and 155.7 billion KRW, respectively. Individuals sold stocks worth 369.1 billion KRW alone.
Among the top market capitalization stocks, POSCO Holdings (6.87%), NAVER (5.54%), Kakao (4.64%), Meritz Financial Group (3.84%), Shinhan Financial Group (3.81%), KB Financial Group (2.61%), Hyundai Mobis (2.39%), and Kia (2.19%) rose. On the other hand, Hanwha Aerospace (-2.45%), Samsung Biologics (-1.14%), and Hanwha Ocean (-0.99%) declined. In particular, automobile stocks, which temporarily escaped tariff targets and had room to prepare countermeasures, showed strong gains across the board.
On the 6th, as the KOSPI index started higher and recovered to the 2570 level, the index and exchange rates were displayed on the status board in the dealing room of Hana Bank in Jung-gu, Seoul. 2025.03.06 Photo by Yoon Dong-ju
By sector, metals (3.35%), information technology (IT) services (3.28%), securities (3.25%), food and tobacco (3.07%), general services (2.38%), and finance (1.21%) rose. Conversely, medical and precision instruments (-1.43%), machinery and equipment (-0.99%), and pharmaceuticals (-0.37%) sectors declined.
Ji-won Kim, a researcher at KB Securities, said, "The Trump administration announced a one-month tariff exemption on automobiles from Mexico and Canada, easing concerns, but the Korean stock market, which had already priced in related expectations the previous day, saw limited gains today. Some profit-taking selling also emerged."
The KOSDAQ turned down after a day and gave back the previous day's gains. The KOSDAQ index closed at 734.92, down 12.03 points (1.61%) from the previous session. The index opened at 750.43, up 3.48 points (0.47%), but turned downward within about six minutes and widened its losses. Foreigners and institutions sold stocks worth 213.3 billion KRW and 217 billion KRW, respectively. Individuals bought stocks worth 440.9 billion KRW alone.
Among the top market capitalization stocks, Classys (4.56%), PharmaResearch (2.69%), Samchundang Pharm (1.14%), Pearl Abyss (1.11%), and Voronoi (1.04%) rose. Meanwhile, Rino Industries (-7.72%), Rainbow Robotics (-6.57%), Alteogen (-5.68%), Enchem (-4.43%), HLB (-4.26%), HPSP (-3.77%), and Ligacembio (-3.46%) closed lower. Pharmaceutical and bio stocks, including Alteogen, which was reported to have a potential patent dispute over the immuno-oncology drug Keytruda, were weak. Entertainment, robotics, and small-to-mid-sized semiconductor stocks also showed weakness, contributing to the index decline.
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