[2026-06-04] KOSPI & KOSDAQ Market Close | Foreign Selling Sinks KOSPI, Chip Equipment Lifts KOSDAQ

📊 Today's Market at a Glance

Korean equities split sharply on June 4, 2026, with the KOSPI and KOSDAQ moving in opposite directions. Heavy foreign selling, the won/dollar rate approaching 1,530, and renewed Middle East geopolitical risk pushed the KOSPI back toward the 8,600 level, while the KOSDAQ surged on a wave of limit-up moves among semiconductor equipment names.

Index	Open	High	Low	Close	Change	Volume
KOSPI	8,623.82	8,759.05	8,577.30	8,636.94	-1.87%	41,284.4만
KOSDAQ	1,032.91	1,065.90	1,032.29	1,047.90	+2.13%	59,457.3만

In the Seoul FX market, the won/dollar rate closed at 1,516.60, having spiked intraday toward the 1,530 area — near its highest level since the global financial crisis. The currency's sharp move accelerated foreign capital outflows and was the direct driver behind the slide in large-cap KOSPI names.

Pair	Close
USD/KRW	1,516.60

📈 KOSPI Analysis

The KOSPI closed at 8,636.94, down -1.87%, ending a four-session advance that had been eyeing the 9,000 mark. The index climbed as high as 8,759.05 intraday, but foreign investors unloaded an estimated 7 trillion won worth of stock, hammering top market-cap large caps and dragging the index down to a session low of 8,577.30.

Three pressures hit sentiment at once: profit-taking in tech shares amid rising U.S. yields, renewed Middle East geopolitical risk including U.S.–Iran tensions, and the won/dollar rate nearing 1,530. LG Electronics tumbled roughly -16% and telecom name SK Telecom slid as well, deepening the decline. On the other side, retailers such as Shinsegae and Hyundai Department Store, along with non-life insurer Samsung F&M, rose firmly and helped cushion the broader index.

📉 KOSDAQ Analysis

The KOSDAQ closed at 1,047.90, up +2.13%, snapping a five-session losing streak with its first gain in six trading days. In stark contrast to the large-cap rout on the KOSPI, buying concentrated in optical communication and core semiconductor process names on news of an upcoming Korea visit by NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang.

Chip equipment makers Eugene Technology, Wonik IPS, TES and Duksan Hi-Metal all locked limit-up, powering the index higher, with AI theme name Maum AI also hitting its ceiling. The session showed clear sector rotation, as flows that had been crowded into KOSPI large caps spread out into small- and mid-cap growth stocks. Biotech, however, lagged — AimedBio and ImmuneOncia weakened — underscoring sharp divergence even within growth names.

🔥 Key Themes & Sectors

Semiconductor Equipment & Core Process ▲ Up

On expectations tied to Jensen Huang's Korea visit, Eugene Technology, Wonik IPS, TES and Duksan Hi-Metal all surged to limit-up together. Optical communication names also stirred, leading the KOSDAQ's strength.

Retail & Department Stores ▲ Up

The department store & general retail sector was the market's strongest at +8.72%. Large-cap retailers Shinsegae (+90,000 won) and Hyundai Department Store (+18,000 won) jumped.

Non-Life Insurance & Banks ▲ Up

Non-life insurance rose +8.62% and banks gained +3.41%. Financials geared to rising rates, such as Samsung F&M (+89,000 won), led the advance.

Large-Cap IT & Telecom ▼ Down

Profit-taking on the back of higher U.S. yields slammed LG Electronics (-16%) and SK Telecom. Concentrated foreign selling here was the main culprit behind the KOSPI's deeper losses.

Biotech ▼ Down

KOSDAQ biotech names including AimedBio and ImmuneOncia slipped, signaling selective stock-picking even inside the growth complex.

💰 Foreign & Institutional Flow

Detailed investor flow figures were not tabulated, but media reports indicate foreign investors led the KOSPI's decline with net selling of roughly 7 trillion won. The won/dollar rate's jump to the 1,530 area — its highest since the global financial crisis — is seen as having triggered the foreign exodus. On the KOSDAQ, by contrast, retail and institution-driven flows rotated into semiconductor equipment and AI themes, lifting the index.

🌍 Global Factors

U.S. markets fell across the board overnight. Rising U.S. yields fed profit-taking pressure in tech that carried straight into Korean large-cap IT names, while renewed Middle East geopolitical risk, including U.S.–Iran tensions, stoked risk-off sentiment. The won/dollar rate's surge toward 1,530, the highest since the financial crisis, added to the strain on foreign flows.

Index	Close	Change
Dow Jones	50,687.07	-1.21%
NASDAQ	26,853.98	-0.89%
S&P 500	7,553.68	-0.74%

🏆 Notable Stocks

• Eugene Technology (155,700 won, limit-up): A flagship chip equipment name that locked limit-up amid Jensen Huang visit expectations, leading the KOSDAQ's gains.
• Wonik IPS (127,200 won, limit-up): Front-end chip equipment maker at limit-up, with the equipment sector rallying in tandem.
• Shinsegae (659,000 won, +90,000 won): Up roughly +15% as the retail/department store sector led the market.
• Samsung F&M (730,000 won, +89,000 won): Up roughly +13% on non-life insurance strength and rising-rate tailwinds.
• LG Electronics (328,000 won, -64,500 won): Down roughly -16% on concentrated foreign selling and tech profit-taking — the main drag on the KOSPI.
• SK Telecom (108,900 won, -16,300 won): Large-cap telecom weakness, off roughly -13%.

📋 Special Stock Status

• Limit-up (10): Eugene Technology, Wonik IPS, TES, Duksan Hi-Metal, Maum AI, T'way Holdings, Jinyang Chemical, and others
• Limit-down (1): SJ Group
• Trading halt: Bident, Telcon RF Pharmaceutical, Korea BTB, KPM Tech, Pion-X, Crystal New Material, Hands Corporation, Organic Tea Cosmetics, Ehwa Construction, Plask, TS Nexgen, Orient Bio, Deep Commerce, EOflow, Celestra, NH SPAC No.29, Color Ray, NeoImmuneTech, Ecovolt, DGI
• Audit report delay: None

📅 Today's Economic Events Results

Global (High Impact)

Time (KST)	Country	Event	Forecast/Previous	Actual
14:00	Australia (AUD)	RBA Gov Bullock Speaks	-/-	TBD

Domestic

No major DART disclosures were reported today. Separately, policy-credibility and organizational-stability issues surrounding newly appointed Bank of Korea Governor Hyun Song Shin drew market attention.

🔮 Next Session Outlook

For the next session (Friday, June 5), the stability of foreign flows and the path of the won/dollar rate will be the key swing factors. If the rate climbs further from the 1,530 area, continued foreign selling could amplify KOSPI volatility. That said, if the semiconductor equipment and AI rotation centered on the KOSDAQ persists, the divergent two-track market may continue. The direction of U.S. equities and developments in the Middle East also remain important variables.

⚠️ Investment Disclaimer

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Please be mindful of the following risk factors:

• Risk of further foreign outflows if the won/dollar rate breaks above 1,530
• Possible escalation of Middle East geopolitical risk, including U.S.–Iran tensions
• Ongoing profit-taking pressure on global tech amid rising U.S. yields
• Whether foreign net selling of around 7 trillion won persists
• Potential profit-taking after the sharp short-term spike in chip equipment names

All investment decisions are the sole responsibility of the investor. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

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