KOSPI Closes at 4,990.07, Setting New All-Time Closing High

KOSDAQ Approaches 1,000 Mark on Strong Gains
Foreign Investors and Institutions Buy, Individuals Sell

The KOSPI and KOSDAQ closed the session just shy of the symbolic 5,000 and 1,000 marks, respectively.

On January 23, the KOSPI ended the day at 4,990.07, up 37.54 points (0.76%) from the previous trading day, marking a new all-time high at closing.

On the KOSPI, foreign investors and institutions bought 135.7 billion won and 489.6 billion won worth of shares, respectively, while individual investors sold 726.4 billion won.

The index started the session at 4,984.08, up 31.55 points (0.64%) from the previous day, and extended its gains to reach an intraday record high of 5,021.13.

As the KOSPI reached an all-time high of 5021.13 during the session, an employee is monitoring the stock market and exchange rates in the dealing room at the Hana Bank headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 23rd. On this day, the KOSPI opened at 4984.08, up 31.55 points (0.64%) from the previous trading day (4952.53). January 23, 2026 Photo by Jo Yongjun

However, the upward momentum slowed somewhat as profit-taking emerged during the session. The previous day, the KOSPI had also surpassed the 5,000 mark for the first time in early trading, but later gave up its gains and closed in the 4,950 range.

Among the KOSPI's top market capitalization stocks, Samsung Electronics (-0.13%), Hyundai Motor (-3.59%), LG Energy Solution (-1.20%), Hanwha Aerospace (-2.64%), and Kia (-3.40%) ended the session lower.

Samsung Electronics Preferred (0.00%) closed flat, while SK Hynix (1.59%), Samsung Biologics (1.35%), HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (2.28%), and Doosan Enerbility (3.67%) posted gains.

Analysts in the securities industry assessed that the KOSPI has entered a short-term consolidation phase after reaching the 5,000 mark.

Jung Haechang, a researcher at Daishin Securities, stated, "While we should consider the recent increase in KOSPI's valuation burden, accumulated upward fatigue, and the process of correcting short-term overheating and absorbing supply, the overall upward trend is expected to continue," adding, "Given the steep rise, profit-taking in surging sectors and rotation into undervalued sectors will proceed even more rapidly."

The KOSDAQ closed at 993.93, up 23.58 points (2.43%) from the previous session. Foreign investors and institutions bought 86.5 billion won and 987.3 billion won, respectively, while individual investors sold 1.0356 trillion won.

Among the KOSDAQ's top market capitalization stocks, Alteogen (4.73%), EcoPro BM (1.10%), EcoPro (0.86%), ABL Bio (10.24%), Rainbow Robotics (7.58%), Samchundang Pharm (13.74%), HLB (7.71%), Kolon TissueGene (6.81%), LIG Chem Bio (12.32%), and Peptron (6.05%) all posted strong gains.

The won-dollar exchange rate closed at 1,465.8 won, down 4.1 won from the previous week's closing price.