South Korean stock market closes up 5%, breaks through 5900 points

MaticHoleFiller · 2026-03-22T07:30:09+00:00

South Korea's stock market surged 5.04% on Wednesday, closing at 5925.03 points, driven by strong buying from foreign and institutional investors. Daily trading volume reached 1.1 billion shares, while retail investors net-sold 3.9 trillion won. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix stock prices rose 7.53% and 8.87% respectively, and the won strengthened against the US dollar.

MaticHoleFiller

2026-03-22 07:30:09

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South Korea’s stock market surged more than 5% on Wednesday, closing back above 5,900 points. The Korean won also strengthened against the US dollar.

The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 284.55 points, or 5.04%, to close at 5,925.03.

The index was driven by strong buying from foreign and institutional investors, prompting the Korea Exchange to issue a sidecar buy circuit breaker shortly before the close, pausing programmatic trading of the KOSPI for 5 minutes.

Foreign and institutional investors combined net bought stocks worth 4 trillion won (approximately $27 billion). Meanwhile, retail investors sold stocks worth 3.9 trillion won.

Trading volume was massive, reaching 1.1 billion shares with a total value of 26.1 trillion won. 614 stocks rose, while 278 declined.

Most large-cap stocks gained. Samsung Electronics, the most valuable company, rose 7.53% to 208,500 won; its chip manufacturing competitor SK Hynix increased 8.87% to 1,056,000 won.

Nuclear power plant manufacturer Doosan Energy rose 2.78% to 107,300 won, amid market expectations that alternative energy will benefit from recent oil price surges.

In contrast, defense stocks declined as investors took profits. Hanwha Aerospace fell slightly by 0.43% to 1,390,000 won; LIG Nex1 dropped 2.27% to 689,000 won.

As of 3:30 PM local time, the won was trading at 1,483.1 against the dollar, up 10.5 won from the previous trading day.

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