Kai Research

📌 One-Line Summary Strong US tech leadership overnight — Nasdaq surged +1.19% — is expected to support another upside attempt by the KOSPI, which broke above the 8,000 level (8,047, +2.55% ) in the prior session. However, the high won/dollar rate above 1,500 and profit-taking appetite after the sharp run-up may keep the market in a consolidation mode. 🌙 Overnight Markets US equities extended a tech-led rally overnight. The Nasdaq Composite climbed to around 26,656, reaffirming optimism toward AI and semiconductor demand, while the S&P 500 also closed higher. The Dow, however, slipped modestly, highlighting a divergence between large-cap value and growth names. Index Close Change S&P 500 7,519.12 +0.61% Nasdaq 26,656.18 +1.19% Dow Jones 50,461.68 -0.23% The AI- and semiconductor-driven risk-on mood creates a favorable backdrop for Korea's large-cap chip and tech names. Since the KOSPI opened the "8,000 era" at 8,047 ( +2.55% ) in the prior session — ...

📌 One-Line Summary With Samsung Electronics' labor agreement, a broad-based US rally, and rising expectations for a US-Iran ceasefire converging, the KOSPI is expected to open strong and attempt to settle above the 8,000 level on the first trading session after the holiday. However, the elevated USD/KRW around 1,517 and 11 straight sessions of foreign net selling remain key variables to watch. Welcome to the Korea Stock Market morning preview for Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Yesterday (5/25) was a substitute public holiday for Buddha's Birthday, so the domestic market was closed, and today marks the first trading session after the break. On the prior trading day, last Friday (5/22), the KOSPI closed at 7,847.71 ( +0.41% ) and the KOSDAQ at 1,161.13 ( +4.99% ), both finishing firmly higher. With US markets also setting fresh record highs during the holiday, positive catalysts have accumulated. The question is whether the Korean market can carry this momentum forward today. 🌙 Overnig...

📌 One-Line Summary Following yesterday's KOSPI +8.42% surge, today's session is expected to see a tug-of-war between profit-taking and chase-buying. Market participants are watching whether Nvidia-driven AI semiconductor momentum can persist despite lingering pressure from the won/dollar exchange rate above 1,500. 🌙 Overnight Markets U.S. markets closed mixed-to-firm overnight, with all three major indices posting modest gains as risk-on sentiment persisted. AI semiconductor names attracted buying flows after Nvidia's strong earnings report, while progress on U.S.-Iran ceasefire negotiations continued to support risk assets. However, given that Korean equities already staged a near 8% rally in the prior session, the muted close on Wall Street may provide only limited additional upside momentum for KOSPI today. Index Close Change S&P 500 7,445.72 +0.17% NASDAQ 26,293.10 +0.09% Dow Jones 50,285.66 +0.55% The Dow led with a relatively firm +0.55% gain, while the tech-h...

📌 One-Line Summary Overnight rally in the three major US indices and renewed buying in AI semiconductors are expected to support a technical rebound attempt in both KOSPI and KOSDAQ today. However, with USD/KRW hovering near 1,496 won and traders waiting for Nvidia's after-hours earnings, upside may be capped — making foreign flows and FX direction the key variables to watch. 🌙 Overnight Markets On Wednesday (May 20 local time), the three major US indices closed broadly higher, led by aggressive buying in AI semiconductor names. A pullback in the 10-year Treasury yield supported risk appetite, while anticipation around Nvidia's earnings release after today's KR session further fueled the bid. Index Close Change S&P 500 7,432.97 +1.08% NASDAQ 26,270.36 +1.54% DOW 50,009.35 +1.31% The NASDAQ's outperformance underscores that the AI/semiconductor concentration trade is still very much alive. Nvidia-led chip buying reversed the prior session's weakness — which had...

📌 One-Line Summary With US three major indices closing lower overnight and the USD/KRW exchange rate entrenched above the 1,500 level, KOSPI's defense of the 7,200 support and foreign investor flows are expected to be today's pivotal variables. 🌙 Overnight Markets US equities closed broadly lower overnight, with risk-off sentiment intensifying across the three major indices. The Nasdaq led the declines, weighed down by selling pressure in semiconductor and technology shares. Comments from Seagate's CEO raising concerns about whether the memory supply chain can keep pace with demand pressured global memory sentiment, while NVIDIA and other AI-focused chip names continued to attract buying flows — a clear sign of ongoing differentiation within the semiconductor complex. Index Close Change S&P 500 7,353.61 -0.67% NASDAQ 25,870.71 -0.84% Dow Jones 49,363.88 -0.65% The previous Korean session saw KOSPI plunge -3.25% to close at 7,271.66 with the 7,300 level decisively bre...

📌 One-Line Summary With the USD/KRW exchange rate at 1,488 and US big tech weakness adding pressure, alongside the previous session's KOSDAQ -1.66% plunge, the Korean stock market is expected to trade in a tight range with KOSPI's defense of the 7,500 level as the key focus. Investors should watch for sector divergence between FX-beneficiary names (autos, defense) and semiconductor large caps. 🌙 Overnight Markets The New York markets closed mixed overnight, with the Dow posting modest gains while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq finished in negative territory. Renewed concerns over rising oil prices and US 10-year Treasury yields topping 4.5% reignited pressure on the big tech and semiconductor concentration trade. While buying interest in Nvidia held up, memory chip names such as Micron and SanDisk closed weaker, dampening the broader index momentum. Index Close Change Dow Jones 49,686.12 +0.32% S&P 500 7,403.05 -0.07% NASDAQ 26,090.73 -0.51% The Dow's relative strength i...

📌 One-Line Summary After Friday's historic 8,000-point breach and subsequent 6%+ plunge, KOSPI faces a double headwind today as US indices tumbled overnight and the USD/KRW rate approaches the critical 1,500 won mark, suggesting heightened volatility ahead. 🌙 Overnight Markets US equities slid sharply on Friday as risk-off sentiment swept through Wall Street. All three major indices declined, with tech-heavy Nasdaq leading the drop and the Dow once again testing the 50,000 support level. The sell-off was driven by a continued rise in the US 10-year Treasury yield and receding expectations of Fed rate cuts. Heavyweights such as Nvidia and Tesla wobbled, raising concerns that the weakness will spill over to Korean semiconductor majors like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix at today's open. Index Close Change S&P 500 7,408.50 -1.24% Nasdaq 26,225.14 -1.54% Dow Jones 49,526.17 -1.07% Memory chip names such as Micron and SanDisk underperformed on Friday, which is likely to weig...

📌 One-Line Summary U.S. equities rallied across the board on AI-chip momentum, setting the stage for KOSPI to attempt a foothold above 8,000, though a sticky USD/KRW in the 1,490s and elevated oil prices remain key headwinds. 🌙 Overnight Markets On the previous U.S. session (May 14 local time), the three major Wall Street indices closed broadly higher. Concentrated buying in NVIDIA and AI-semiconductor ETFs continued to drive tech-sector strength, creating a constructive backdrop for Korean semiconductor and AI-related names heading into Friday's Seoul session. Index Close Change S&P 500 7,501.24 +0.77% NASDAQ 26,635.22 +0.88% DOW 50,063.46 +0.75% The NASDAQ led with a +0.88% gain, confirming that the AI-led rally remains intact. That said, last week's hotter-than-expected U.S. April CPI print and lingering volatility in the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index suggest that name-by-name differentiation is likely to persist in Seoul today. 💱 FX & Commodities The Korean w...

📌 One-Line Summary After KOSPI set a fresh all-time high of 7,844 in the previous session, the NASDAQ's +1.20% overnight gain keeps the AI/semiconductor momentum alive, yet a USD/KRW pushing near 1,490 and looming U.S. PPI & retail sales prints are expected to drive a choppy, range-bound session in Seoul. 🌙 Overnight Markets U.S. equities closed mixed on May 13 (local time) as tech leadership reasserted itself while cyclicals took a breather. The NASDAQ jumped more than one percent on renewed AI enthusiasm, while the Dow slipped on profit-taking in economically sensitive names. Both the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ continued to display upward bias, suggesting risk appetite is still intact going into Asian trading hours. Index Close Change S&P 500 7,444.25 +0.58% NASDAQ 26,402.34 +1.20% Dow Jones 49,693.20 -0.14% The NASDAQ's +1.20% advance is a clear signal that buying interest in AI and semiconductor names is still in place, even after the previous day's pullback...

📌 One-Line Summary After KOSPI's historic breakout above 7,800 with a sidecar-triggering rally, today's Korean market is expected to consolidate in a tight range as short-term overheating concerns collide with caution ahead of the US April CPI release at 21:30 KST. 🌙 Overnight Markets On Monday (May 11, local time), US equities edged higher in subdued trading near record highs, as investors stayed on the sidelines ahead of Tuesday's April CPI print. All three major indices finished modestly in the green, with Big Tech leading the calm advance. Optimism around US-Iran ceasefire talks and stabilizing oil prices continued to support risk appetite. Index Close Change S&P 500 7,412.84 +0.19% NASDAQ 26,274.13 +0.10% Dow Jones 49,704.47 +0.19% Coming on the heels of a powerful rally, tonight's CPI release is shaping up to be a near-term inflection point. Consensus estimates call for headline CPI of +0.6% m/m and +3.7% y/y, with core CPI at +0.3% m/m. An in-line or softer...

📌 One-Line Summary Backed by Friday's Nasdaq +1.71% rally, a Philadelphia Semiconductor Index surge of more than 4%, and a stable USD/KRW rate around 1,460, the KOSPI is expected to attempt a breakout above the psychological 7,500 mark. However, record-high fatigue and a record KRW 36 trillion in retail margin debt remain double-edged variables. 🌙 Overnight Markets US equities ended last Friday's session (May 8, local) near record highs as the technology complex extended its leadership. Hopes for a US-Iran ceasefire and stabilizing oil prices fueled risk-on sentiment, while the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index jumped over 4% and Micron soared more than 11%, underscoring a sharply differentiated rally in chips. This setup is expected to provide a direct tailwind for Korean semiconductor heavyweights such as SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics, with foreign buying likely to continue. Index Close Change S&P 500 7,398.93 +0.84% NASDAQ 26,247.08 +1.71% Dow Jones 49,609...

📌 One-Line Summary The Korean stock market is closed today (May 1) for Labor Day. Overnight, all three major US indices rallied after the Fed held rates at 3.75%, raising expectations for an oversold-driven technical rebound on the next trading day, Monday May 4. 🌙 Overnight Markets US equities closed broadly higher on April 30 (local time) as the April FOMC kept the Federal Funds Rate unchanged at 3.75% , easing hawkish concerns. The Dow Jones led gains with +1.62% , reclaiming the 49,000 level, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq each advanced around 1%, signaling a swift recovery in risk appetite. The European Central Bank also held its main refinancing rate at 2.15% and the Bank of England maintained its policy rate at 3.75%, helping clear some of the global monetary policy uncertainty that had weighed on sentiment. Index Close Change Dow Jones 49,652.14 +1.62% S&P 500 7,209.01 +1.02% Nasdaq 24,892.31 +0.89% However, the Korean market cannot immediately reflect the overnight US ...