KOSPI gave up the 6,000-point level it had reclaimed for the first time in 10 trading days just one day later. This is seen as the result of overlapping negative factors, including Samsung Electronics' failure to disclose specific shareholder return plans, LG Chem's sale of its stake in LG Energy Solution, and the collapse of Doosan Enerbility and Daewoo E&C's construction contract for a Czech nuclear power plant.
KOSPI closed at 5,937.66, down 74.78 points (1.24%) on Thursday. The index opened at 6,017.22, up 4.78 points (0.08%) from the previous close, and briefly rose to 6,100.11 during the session before reversing into a decline as a large number of stocks plunged. KOSPI fell as low as 5,817.92 at one point but partially recovered its losses in the afternoon as stocks such as Hanwha Vision rebounded on the back of strong earnings.
In the KOSPI market, retail investors made net purchases of 33.3 billion won, and foreign investors made net purchases of 69 billion won, while institutional investors made net sales of 447.2 billion won. Foreign investors have continued net purchases for three consecutive trading days, but their net buying volume, which reached 400 billion won around 11 a.m., decreased sharply in the afternoon.
By sector, financials and securities rose by more than 1%, while utilities (electricity and gas), electronics, manufacturing, and general services fell by more than 1%. Transportation equipment and parts, metals, and IT services declined by more than 2%; chemicals, and entertainment and culture dropped by more than 3%; and machinery and equipment, and construction fell by more than 5%.
Among top market capitalization stocks, SK Square rose by more than 3% and SK hynix by more than 2%, extending their gains for a second consecutive day. KB Financial Group rose by more than 1%, while Shinhan Financial Group, Samsung SDI, Kia, and Samsung Life Insurance were slightly higher. Celltrion, Samsung C&T, and Samsung Biologics were slightly lower, while Samsung Electro-Mechanics and Hyundai Motor fell by more than 1%. Despite reporting record-breaking earnings, Samsung Electronics dropped by more than 4% as it failed to present the new shareholder return plans the market had expected. LG Energy Solution plunged by more than 8% on news of a stake sale by its largest shareholder, LG Chem.
KOSDAQ closed at 753.23, down 18.05 points (2.34%). The index opened at 767.78, down 3.50 points (0.45%), and remained weak throughout the session.
In the KOSDAQ market, retail investors made net purchases of 217.3 billion won, while foreign investors made net sales of 130.7 billion won and institutional investors made net sales of 75.9 billion won.
By sector, publishing and media reproduction was strong, rising by more than 11%. Medical and precision equipment, machinery and equipment, and transportation equipment and parts fell by more than 3%. The electronics sector also declined by more than 2%, as the semiconductor materials, components, and equipment (so-bu-gang) segment took a leading hit from Samsung Electronics' drop.
Among top market capitalization stocks, all were weak except for PSK Holdings, which was slightly higher. Alteogen fell by more than 1%; HLB and Rino Industrial by more than 2%; HPSP, Robotis, and Simmtech by more than 3%; Ecopro, Wonik IPS, and Jusung Engineering by more than 4%; Ecopro BM by more than 5%; and Rainbow Robotics by more than 6%.
In the Seoul foreign exchange market, the won/dollar exchange rate closed daily trading at 1,336.8 won, down 0.9 won from the previous trading day.
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