Kai Research

📊 This Week at a Glance The final week of July (7/27–07/31) delivered one of the most extreme bouts of volatility the Korean stock market has ever seen — a single week that packed in both a circuit breaker crash and a record-scale surge. A US-China semiconductor shock sent the KOSPI tumbling for three straight sessions to the 5,500 level, but on the final trading day foreign investors poured in roughly 7 trillion won of net buying, driving a one-day +17.91% explosion that recovered most of the losses. On a weekly basis, however, both indices still closed lower — KOSPI -3.10% and KOSDAQ -5.36% . Index Weekly Open Weekly Close Weekly High Weekly Low Weekly Change Weekly Volume KOSPI 6,806.27 6,595.45 6,806.27 5,262.77 -3.10% 187,766.8만 KOSDAQ 760.54 719.76 780.39 630.99 -5.36% 246,219.6만 The USD/KRW exchange rate spiked to as high as 1,472 won intraday during the sell-off, but as risk appetite recovered it stabilized back toward a weekly close of around 1,442.07 won . 📅 Daily Perform...

📊 Today's Market at a Glance On Friday, July 31, 2026, Korean equities staged a historic explosive rally , recovering most of a three-day plunge in a single session. The KOSPI surged +16.97% , gaining nearly 950 points, as semiconductor heavyweights raced to their limit-up (daily +30% ceiling) and led the market higher. Index Open High Low Close Change Volume KOSPI 5,657.79 6,548.64 5,629.76 6,542.82 +16.97% 33,797.5만 KOSDAQ 666.47 716.46 663.25 716.37 +11.10% 36,864.8만 Item Close USD/KRW Exchange Rate 1,442.28 📈 KOSPI Analysis The KOSPI closed at 6,542.82 , up +16.97% and roughly 949 points higher than the prior session. It opened at 5,657.79, climbed to an intraday high of 6,548.64, and finished near that high, reflecting overwhelming buying pressure into the close. A technical rebound after three consecutive days of steep losses combined with an overnight rally in U.S. chip stocks (NASDAQ +2.78% ) to act as the trigger. Buying was so explosive that buy-side sidecars were ac...

📌 One-Line Summary Wall Street rallied sharply overnight (Nasdaq +2.78%) as the FOMC held rates steady, setting the stage for a technical rebound attempt in the KOSPI and KOSDAQ after last week's semiconductor-driven sell-off pushed them into oversold territory. The Bank of Japan decision at 11:30 KST and lingering chip-sector volatility remain the key swing factors for today. 🌙 Overnight Markets U.S. equities closed sharply higher across all three major indices overnight, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq leading the charge, up +2.78% . The immediate catalyst was the FOMC's decision to hold the benchmark rate at 3.75% (in line with forecasts), which eased tightening concerns. This provides a rebound rationale for Korean equities, which had fallen into oversold territory last week amid a semiconductor-led plunge, a sidecar trigger, and the KOSPI breaking below the 6,000 level. Index Close Change S&P 500 7,437.63 +1.66% Nasdaq 25,122.18 +2.78% Dow Jones 52,208.06 +1.19% That said...

📊 Today's Market at a Glance Despite Samsung Electronics reporting record second-quarter earnings, a fresh wave of AI-bubble fears and a global semiconductor correction dragged both the KOSPI and KOSDAQ lower for a fourth straight session. The KOSPI briefly climbed to 5,976 in an attempt to reclaim the 6,000 mark before reversing to close -1.23% , while the KOSDAQ deepened its losses to -2.70% . Index Open High Low Close Change Volume KOSPI 5,681.77 5,976.82 5,547.41 5,593.56 -1.23% 37,517.1만 KOSDAQ 654.72 677.19 642.95 644.78 -2.70% 45,260.2만 The USD/KRW exchange rate held at an elevated 1,453.16 , keeping pressure on foreign inflows. In point terms, the KOSPI fell 69.68 points while the KOSDAQ dropped 17.90 points. 📈 KOSPI Analysis The KOSPI closed at 5,593.56 , down 1.23% (69.68p) . The index opened firm at 5,681.77 and rallied intraday to as high as 5,976.82, testing a recovery of the 6,000 level. However, a 150,000-won plunge in Samsung Electro-Mechanics (closing at 879,000 ...

📌 One-Line Summary After a brutal selloff (KOSPI -5.98% , KOSDAQ -6.12% ) in the previous session, Korean equities open FOMC day facing an overnight Wall Street plunge (Dow -2.19% ) and a stubbornly high USD/KRW near 1,443. Expect a highly volatile session where technical rebound attempts clash with further capitulation selling. 📉 Previous Session Recap The prior Korean trading session was nothing short of a 'Black Tuesday,' with both benchmarks triggering sidecar circuit breakers. The KOSPI collapsed -5.98% to close at 5,663.24, while the KOSDAQ tumbled -6.12% to 662.68. A sharp drop in US semiconductor names, SK Hynix's ADR falling below its offering price, and heavy foreign selling amid an elevated won-dollar rate combined to unleash a wave of panic selling. An early rebound attempt that briefly pushed the index above 6,200 faded as foreign outflows accelerated. Following such an exceptional decline, today's session is set to become a fierce tug-of-war between...

📌 One-Line Summary: Korean stocks suffered a second consecutive day of panic selling as an SK Hynix earnings shock and semiconductor peak-out fears crushed the market — KOSPI plunged -9.76% and KOSDAQ dropped -8.61% , triggering circuit breakers on both boards for the first time ever on back-to-back sessions. 📊 Today's Market at a Glance On Wednesday, July 29, 2026, the Korean stock market experienced one of its most extreme trading days on record. Both the KOSPI and KOSDAQ opened higher on a technical rebound but reversed sharply in the afternoon, closing deep in the red. Sell-side sidecars and Level 1 circuit breakers were triggered on both markets — the first time in history that circuit breakers have halted trading on consecutive days. Index Open High Low Close Change Volume (만) KOSPI 6,089.11 6,228.52 5,262.77 5,435.76 -9.76% 34,167.8만 KOSDAQ 713.71 719.39 630.99 645.08 -8.61% 51,306.8만 USD/KRW 1,464.44 — 📈 KOSPI Analysis The KOSPI opened up at 6,089.11 as ba...