KOSPI's Relentless Surge: Settles Above 4,450, Sets Another All-Time High

KOSPI Closes at 4,457.52 with a 3% Surge
KOSDAQ Surpasses 950 Mark for the First Time Since August 2023

The Korean stock market has continued its unprecedented record streak at the start of the new year, ushering in the 'KOSPI 4450 era.' Building on the momentum from surpassing the 4300 mark on January 2, the market set a new all-time closing high in just one trading day. The KOSDAQ also rose by more than 1%, reaching a new record high.

Yonhap News Agency

On January 5, the KOSPI index closed at 4,457.52, up 3.43% from the previous trading day. The index opened at 4,385.92, a 1.77% increase from the previous session, and continued its steady upward trend, repeatedly hitting new intraday highs.

Strong buying by foreign investors served as the driving force behind the index's rise. On this day, foreign investors alone purchased 2.1669 trillion won worth of stocks. In contrast, individual investors and institutions sold 1.51 trillion won and 703.1 billion won, respectively, realizing profits.

Large-cap semiconductor stocks such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix led the market rally. Samsung Electronics surged 7.47% to close at 138,100 won, reflecting expectations for an earnings surprise in the fourth quarter of 2025. SK Hynix also rose 2.81%, successfully touching the 700,000 won mark during the session.

Other top market cap stocks also showed strong performances, including LG Energy Solution (2.91%), Samsung Biologics (1.78%), Hyundai Motor (2.01%), SK Square (6.12%), HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (1.79%), Doosan Enerbility (10.64%), and Hanwha Aerospace (6.98%).

By industry, machinery & equipment (8.39%), electricity & gas (6.04%), electrical & electronics (5.12%), manufacturing (4.24%), construction (3.33%), and transportation equipment & parts (2.54%) saw the largest gains in that order.

KB Securities researchers Lim Jeongeun and Tae Yunseon noted, "This week, the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition, CES 2026, scheduled for January 6 (local time), the provisional earnings announcement by Samsung Electronics on January 8, and the release of U.S. employment data on January 9 will be the key variables moving the market."

On the same day, the KOSDAQ closed at 957.50, up 1.26% from the previous session. The index started at 948.61, up 0.32% from the previous day, and extended its gains, soaring to 957.59 at one point during the session to set a new 52-week high. This is the first time the KOSDAQ has surpassed the 950 mark since August 2023.

Among the top 10 market cap stocks, all except Rainbow Robotics (-3.44%) rose. These included Alteogen (2.52%), Ecopro BM (2.89%), Ecopro (1.81%), ABL Bio (8.44%), HLB (1.89%), LIG ChemBio (3.10%), Peptron (4.45%), Kolon TissueGene (0.56%), and Samchundang Pharm (3.68%).

By industry, general services (2.69%), pharmaceuticals (2.47%), transportation equipment & parts (2.37%), electrical & electronics (2.33%), metals (2.24%), and manufacturing (1.62%) posted the largest increases in that order.

Researchers Lim Jeongeun and Tae Yunseon analyzed, "With expectations for the 'January effect' growing following the Santa Rally, it is important to pay attention to the seasonality of the KOSDAQ market. Warmth is also spreading to materials, parts, and equipment stocks, which are expected to benefit from the semiconductor boom."