South Korea's Kospi Swings From Bear to Bull Market in Just a Month. Is AI Trade Regaining Strength?
The benchmark rose 3.6% as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix each jumped about 5%, lifting emerging-market equities.
- On Thursday, South Korea's Kospi index entered a technical bull market, climbing around 22% from its July low with a 3.6% daily gain driven by semiconductor strength.
- This recovery follows a rout last month driven by forced selling and leveraged positions; regulators tightened margin and risk requirements to stabilize the market and create firmer footing.
- Heavyweight memory chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix Inc. both jumped about 5% as stronger-than-expected technology earnings reinforced confidence in AI infrastructure investment and lifted growth forecasts.
- Billy Leung, investment strategist at Global X ETFs, noted corporate-governance reforms helped reduce the "Korea discount," yet Leung questioned whether the rally stems from speculation or fundamental improvement.
- Jung In Yun of Fibonacci Asset Management Global warned against describing this as a "completely new bull market," cautioning investors should expect continued volatility as AI hardware spending uncertainty persists.
18 Articles
18 Articles
Sandisk Jumps 7%, Western Digital Gains 4%, Micron Climbs 3% as the Kospi Returns to a Bull Market
A $14 billion buyback, a wave of analyst price target resets, and a Korean market milestone are colliding to send memory stocks surging across two continents, but skeptics are already questioning whether this rally has real staying power.
The renewed enthusiasm for artificial intelligence boosted a strong high in Asian technology actions, with the Kospi index, from South Korea, entering a technical high market (bull market). The reference index closed at 2.4%, at 6,977,94 points. Exclusive material for subscribers. To have full access, access the link of the subject and register.
5 charts show how South Korea's retail stock mania built up and unraveled
South Korean stocks surged to record highs in 2026 before a sharp sell-off triggered repeated circuit breakers.Jung Yeon-je/AFP/Getty ImagesSouth Korea's retail investors piled into stocks in 2026, buying heavily even as foreigners sold.Active stock-trading accounts soared past 110 million — more than twice South Korea's population.Borrowing and leveraged bets raised the stakes as the Kospi plunged 30% from its peak by July's end.South Korea's i…
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