KOSPI Hits Another All-Time High... Approaching 8,700 (Update)

KOSPI Surges Over 2% in Morning Trade, Surpassing 8,692
KOSDAQ Rebounds After Starting Lower

The KOSPI index started higher and surpassed the 8600 mark for the first time ever on June 1, 2026. The electronic board in the dealing room of Hana Bank headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul, displays the status of the domestic stock market. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang

On June 1, the KOSPI once again opened higher and surpassed the 8600 mark for the first time ever in early trading. Although the KOSDAQ index showed a decline of over 2% at one point, it rebounded, bringing a positive atmosphere to the overall market.

On this day, the KOSPI started at 8,485.67, up 0.11% from the previous trading day. The index then rose sharply, reaching 8,603.79 at around 9:07 a.m., breaking through the 8600 level for the first time. The upward momentum continued, and by 9:40 a.m., it had reached 8,692.32.

Buying by individual and institutional investors appears to have driven the index higher. Individuals made net purchases of 1.0343 trillion won, while institutions net bought 862.5 billion won. In contrast, foreign investors made net sales totaling 1.7586 trillion won.

Most sectors posted gains. IT services recorded the largest increase at 8.65%, followed by machinery and equipment (4.97%), securities (3.78%), transportation equipment and parts (3.24%), and telecommunications (2.63%). On the other hand, construction (-3.12%), textiles and apparel (-2.28%), and paper and wood (-2.02%) declined.

Among the top 10 stocks by market capitalization, most recorded gains. Doosan Enerbility (6.2%), Samsung Electronics (5.0%), Hyundai Motor (4.6%), and Samsung C&T (3.3%) saw the largest increases. Meanwhile, Samsung Electro-Mechanics (-5.0%) and SK hynix (-0.3%) declined.

The KOSDAQ presented a contrasting picture. It opened slightly lower at 1,072.77, down 0.19% from the previous trading day. The decline widened in early trading, and by around 9:16 a.m., the index had fallen more than 2% to 1,048.93. However, it rebounded and turned positive, even surpassing the 1,080 level during the session.

On the KOSDAQ market, buying by foreign and institutional investors drove the index's rebound. Foreign investors net bought 337 billion won, and institutions net purchased 39.8 billion won. In contrast, individual investors made net sales of 368.8 billion won.

Unlike the KOSPI, more sectors on the KOSDAQ declined. Publishing and media reproduction (-2.79%), paper and wood (-1.74%), textiles and apparel (-1.66%), finance (-1.50%), and metals (-1.50%) were among the sectors that fell by more than 1%. On the other hand, machinery and equipment (2.84%) and distribution (1.25%) posted gains.

Among the top 10 stocks by market capitalization on the KOSDAQ, performances diverged. Rainbow Robotics surged by an impressive 12.5%, while HLB (3.5%) and Alteogen (1.5%) also rose. In contrast, Jusung Engineering (-4.8%), Ecopro BM (-3.0%), Ecopro (-3.0%), Peptron (-1.6%), and Samchundang Pharm (-1.4%) declined.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.