KOSPI’s Relentless Rally: Touches 4,420 Mark Just Three Days After Surpassing 4,300

The KOSPI index, which had set a new all-time high by surpassing the 4,300 mark at the close on the 2nd, reached another milestone by breaking through the 4,400 level during intraday trading after just one trading day.

The KOSPI index reached an all-time high of 4420.92 during the session, as shown on the status board in the dealing room at the Hana Bank headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 5th. On that day, the KOSPI opened at 4,385.92, up 76.29 points (1.77%) from the previous close, and continued to gain, while the KOSDAQ rose 0.43 points (0.05%) to 946.00. 2026.1.5 Photo by Jo Yongjun

As of 9:36 a.m. on January 5, the KOSPI was up 1.98% from the previous trading day, standing at 4,394.91. The index opened at 4,385.92, a 1.77% increase from the previous session, and quickly expanded its gains, soaring to an intraday high of 4,420.92 and setting a new record. Since then, it has been fluctuating between the 4,390 and 4,100 levels.

The rally gained momentum as foreign investors made large-scale purchases immediately after the market opened. So far, foreign investors have been net buyers of 488.6 billion won. In contrast, individual investors and institutions have been net sellers of 176.8 billion won and 302.2 billion won, respectively.

The main drivers of the rally were leading semiconductor stocks Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Both stocks, which reached all-time highs on the 2nd by hitting "1.2 million won Samsung" and "670,000 won Hynix," surged again on this day by 5.14% and 1.92%, respectively, helping to lift the index.

Lee Kyungmin, a researcher at Daishin Securities, commented, "With the start of the fourth-quarter pre-earnings season for 2025, upward revisions of earnings forecasts led by semiconductor stocks, especially Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, are accelerating once again," adding, "This week, the KOSPI is expected to see a strong upward trend driven by semiconductor stocks."

Other large-cap stocks also showed gains, including LG Energy Solution (2.63%), Hyundai Motor (2.85%), SK Square (2.93%), Doosan Enerbility (7.31%), and Hanwha Aerospace (2.75%). On the other hand, Samsung Biologics (-0.53%) and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (-0.60%) showed slight declines.

By sector, machinery & equipment (5.04%), electricity & gas (3.84%), electrical & electronics (3.33%), manufacturing (2.59%), construction (2.45%), and medical & precision instruments (1.18%) were strong performers. In contrast, transportation & warehousing & entertainment & culture (-1.08%), textiles & apparel (-0.79%), insurance (-0.62%), and paper & wood (-0.55%) sectors declined.

At the same time, the KOSDAQ index was up 0.32% from the previous session at 948.61. The index opened at 948.56 and climbed as high as 951.53 during the session, recording a new 52-week high.

So far, individual and institutional investors have been net buyers of 53.4 billion won and 42.7 billion won, respectively, driving the index higher, while foreign investors alone have sold 92.3 billion won.

Among the top market cap stocks, Alteogen (1.09%), Ecopro BM (3.53%), Ecopro (3.51%), ABL Bio (1.33%), Legochem Bio (0.35%), and Peptron (0.20%) were on the rise, while Rainbow Robotics (-2.23%), HLB (-1.13%), Kolon TissueGene (-1.40%), and Samchundang Pharm (-1.02%) were weak.

By sector, electrical & electronics (2.02%), finance (1.96%), metals (1.03%), and transportation equipment & parts (0.98%) were among the top gainers. In contrast, entertainment & culture (-3.37%), textiles & apparel (-1.14%), IT services (-1.09%), and publishing & media replication (-1.02%) declined.