KOSPI Falls 4% into 5,100 Range... KOSDAQ Drops as Well

The KOSPI fell into the 5,100 range as U.S. stock markets weakened on semiconductor shares and foreign investors stepped up selling. The KOSDAQ also dropped 3.7%.

At the Hana Bank headquarters dealing room in Jung-gu, Seoul, an employee was monitoring the stock market and exchange rates on Feb. 5. On that day, the KOSPI opened at 5,251.03, down 120.07 points (2.24%) from the previous trading day (5,371.10), and the won-dollar exchange rate opened at 1,461.0 won, up 10.8 won. Feb. 5, 2026 Cho Yongjun

As of 12:54 p.m. on Feb. 5, the KOSPI was trading at 5,155.19, down 4.02% (215.91 points) from the previous day.

By investor type, foreign investors and institutions were net sellers of 4,514.189 billion won and 1,840.0237 billion won, respectively, while individual investors were net buyers of 6,174.349 billion won.

Declines were also clear across sectors. Shares fell in electrical and electronics (-4.97%), manufacturing (-4.27%), machinery and equipment (-4.00%), metals (-3.81%), and construction (-2.72%), while only textiles and apparel rose (+2.25%).

Most large-cap stocks by market capitalization were also weak. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix fell 5.3% and 5.5%, respectively. Share prices of Hanwha Systems (-10.0%), Hyundai Rotem (-9.1%), Hanwha Aerospace (-7.6%), SK Square (-6.5%), Doosan Enerbility (-5.6%), and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (-5.4%) also declined.

The KOSDAQ index was also trading at 1,106.66, down 3.72% from the previous day.

By investor type, foreign investors and institutions were net sellers of 392.76 billion won and 372.756 billion won, respectively, while individual investors were net buyers of 862.322 billion won.

Among large-cap KOSDAQ stocks, movements were mixed early in the session, but most are now trading lower. Ecopro and Ecopro BM were down 5.6% and 4.9%, respectively, while PharmaResearch (-22.6%), Robotis (-8.5%), and Jusung Engineering (-7.9%) also fell compared with the previous day.

Lee Jaewon, a researcher at Shinhan Investment & Securities, said, "On the KOSPI, foreign investors have been continuously taking profits since semiconductor earnings were announced," adding, "On the KOSDAQ, growing concerns over U.S. AI technology stocks are triggering profit-taking in KOSDAQ growth stocks as well."