KOSPI Falls Around 1% in Early Trading, Drops Below 5,600

KOSPI Opens Down More Than 3%, but Narrows Losses
Foreign and Institutional Investors Net Buyers; Individuals Sell 970 Billion Won
KOSDAQ Slightly Lower; Semiconductor-Related Stocks Decline

The KOSPI fell below the 5,600 mark in early trading, posting a loss of around 1%. The KOSDAQ was slightly lower in early trading.

A display shows the relevant indices at Hana Bank's dealing room in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 19th, as the KOSPI opened at 5,488.41, down 179.64 points (3.17%). The KOSDAQ started the day at 773.06, down 21.72 points (2.73%). Oct. 19, 2026. Photo by Kim Hyunmin.

As of 9:14 a.m. on October 19, the KOSPI was trading at 5,594.27, down 1.30% (73.78 points) from the previous trading day. The index opened at 5,488.41, down 3.17% (179.64 points) from the previous close, but its early losses narrowed. By investor group, foreign and institutional investors were net buyers of 623.273 billion won and 436.239 billion won, respectively, while individual investors were net sellers of 976.79 billion won.

Most sectors were lower. Transportation equipment and parts (-2.31%), construction (-2.14%), machinery and equipment (-2.08%), retail (-1.77%), medical and precision instruments (-1.73%), financials (-1.55%), and telecommunications (-1.50%) were among the decliners. Pharmaceuticals (+0.72%) and electricity and gas (+0.16%) posted modest gains.

Among the top companies by market capitalization, the top three—Samsung Electronics (-0.8%), SK hynix (-2.8%), and SK Square (-2.8%)—were lower. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (-4.5%), Samsung Electro-Mechanics (-3.7%), and Samsung C&T (-3.4%) also fell by more than 3%. Some stocks, including Samsung Biologics (+3.6%) and Samsung SDI (+1.8%), rose.

At the same time, the KOSDAQ was trading at 792.18, down 0.33% (2.60 points) from the previous trading day. The index also opened at 773.06, down 2.73% (21.72 points) from the previous close, but its early losses narrowed. Foreign and institutional investors were net buyers of 66.658 billion won and 13.352 billion won, respectively, while individual investors were net sellers of 82.522 billion won.

Sector performance was mixed. Chemicals (+5.14%) posted a strong gain, while metals (+0.67%) and financials (+0.31%) recorded modest gains. Nonmetallic minerals (-1.35%), transportation and warehousing (-1.27%), and construction (-1.01%) declined, while electricity and electronics (-0.85%) and retail (-0.81%) were slightly lower.

Among the KOSDAQ’s top companies by market capitalization, Alteogen, ranked first, was down 1.5%, while EcoPro and EcoPro BM, ranked second and third, rose 1.3% and 0.5%, respectively. Semiconductor-related stocks, including FADU (-7.6%), EO Technics (-3.2%), Jusung Engineering (-2.1%), and Leeno Industrial (-2.1%), also declined.

Han Jiyoung, a researcher at Kiwoom Securities, said, “Following the sharp drop in U.S. artificial intelligence (AI) stocks on October 16 (local time), the domestic market is also expected to face downward pressure today. The strength of any subsequent rebound and whether the market can establish support against further declines will likely depend on the outcomes of key domestic and international events, including third-quarter earnings announcements from U.S. big tech companies.”

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