Korean Stock Market Remains Cautious... Flat in Early Trading

Automotive Stocks Rally,
Shipbuilding Stocks Weaken

Both the KOSPI and KOSDAQ started the day with slight gains and then remained relatively quiet.

On April 29, the KOSPI opened at 2,550.25, up 0.05% from the previous day. Although it turned downward in the early session, it continued to hover around the flat line. As of 9:20 a.m., it stood at 2,547.00.

Individual investors were the only net buyers, with net purchases totaling 112.8 billion won. Foreign investors and institutions were net sellers, offloading 91.0 billion won and 26.2 billion won, respectively.

There were slightly more rising sectors. Pharmaceuticals (0.71%), medical and precision instruments (0.67%), food, beverages, and tobacco (0.62%), metals (0.59%), securities (0.58%), and textiles and apparel (0.42%) saw the largest gains. In contrast, transportation equipment and parts (-1.86%), general services (-0.33%), manufacturing (-0.31%), and electrical and electronics (-0.29%) declined.

Among the top 10 stocks by market capitalization, Kia (1.9%), Celltrion (1.7%), and Hyundai Motor (1.2%) posted notable gains. On the other hand, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (-3.1%), Hanwha Aerospace (-2.9%), SK Hynix (-1.1%), and Samsung Electronics (-0.3%) declined.

The KOSDAQ also started trading up 0.49% at 722.94. It maintained slight gains, standing at 722.69 as of 9:20 a.m.

In the KOSDAQ market, foreign investors and individuals were net buyers, purchasing 2.3 billion won and 6.0 billion won, respectively. Institutions were net sellers, offloading 3.6 billion won.

Almost all sectors were on the rise. Entertainment and culture (2.25%), general services (1.15%), pharmaceuticals (0.79%), distribution (0.61%), and paper and wood (0.43%) led the gains. Construction (-0.88%), transportation equipment and parts (-0.86%), metals (-0.68%), and textiles and apparel (-0.43%) declined.

Most of the top 10 stocks by market capitalization were up. Alteogen (1.9%), Hugel (1.8%), Legochem Bio (1.6%), Peptron (1.3%), Rainbow Robotics (1.2%), HLB (1.0%), and PharmaResearch (1.0%) led the gains. Only Ecopro BM fell by 0.6%. Ecopro and Classys remained unchanged from the previous day.