Early-Session Volatility Amid Foreign and Institutional Net Selling

KOSPI losses widen after opening nearly flat
KOSDAQ turns higher after falling 1.6%

Employees monitor stock prices and exchange rates in the dealing room at Hana Bank headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 8th. The KOSPI opened higher but soon fell, fluctuating around the 6,800 mark. 2026.10.8 Photo by Cho Yongjun

Volatility in the KOSPI and KOSDAQ indexes increased early on Oct. 8. Foreign and institutional investors continued net selling from the opening, while losses on the KOSPI widened. The KOSDAQ, however, managed to turn higher after its losses widened to more than 1.6%.

The KOSPI opened at 6,808.68, up 0.07% from the previous day. It soon turned lower, with losses widening. As of 9:49 a.m., it was down 0.82% at 6,748.01.

Foreign and institutional investors had already net sold 642.2 billion won and 302.7 billion won, respectively, early in the session. Individual investors net bought 842.6 billion won.

Nearly all sectors were lower. Several fell by more than 1%, including securities (-2.80%), pharmaceuticals (-2.58%), IT services (-2.61%), transportation equipment and parts (-2.54%), construction (-2.31%), financials (-1.94%), machinery and equipment (-1.77%), and retail (-1.61%). Only paper and wood (0.09%) and chemicals (0.02%) posted slight gains.

Most of the top 10 stocks by market capitalization were also lower. The biggest losses were recorded by Samsung Biologics (-3.1%), Hyundai Motor (-3.1%), SK Square (-2.8%), Samsung C&T (-2.6%), Samsung Life Insurance (-2.1%), KB Financial Group (-1.4%), Samsung Electro-Mechanics (-1.0%), and Samsung Electronics (-0.7%), in that order. LG Energy Solution (6.2%) and SK hynix (0.4%) rose.

The KOSDAQ opened at 898.19, down 0.03% from the previous day. Its losses later widened to more than 1.6%, taking it as low as 883.85, but it turned higher and rose to 898.91 as of 9:49 a.m.

Foreign and institutional investors were also net sellers on the KOSDAQ, offloading 115.2 billion won and 29.4 billion won, respectively. Individual investors net bought 149.3 billion won.

More sectors fell than rose. Several declined by more than 1%, including pharmaceuticals (-3.44%), general services (-2.26%), construction (-1.64%), IT services (-1.46%), and entertainment and culture (-1.19%). By contrast, machinery and equipment (1.66%), nonmetallic minerals (1.61%), financials (1.24%), and electrical and electronic equipment (1.08%) advanced.

Most of the top 10 stocks by market capitalization were higher. The biggest gains were posted by Jusung Engineering (6.4%), EcoPro BM (4.8%), Leeno Industrial (4.5%), Wonik IPS (4.3%), EO Technics (3.4%), EcoPro (2.5%), and Simtek (2.3%), in that order. Alteogen (-4.6%), Rainbow Robotics (-1.2%), and HLB (-0.2%) fell.

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