The KOSPI shattered all-time records for both the highest percentage gain and the largest point increase, surging from the 5,500 level to the 6,500 level in a single day. This reversal is attributed to foreign investors returning amid Big Tech earnings reports, after previously exiting due to concerns over the sustainability and profitability of AI (artificial intelligence) investments. Foreigners purchased more than 7 trillion won, significantly contributing to breaking the all-time record for net purchases. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, the top two companies by market capitalization, also surpassed their previous records for both percentage gain and point increase. Notably, SK Hynix closed July trading at its circuit breaker limit.
On the 31st, the KOSPI closed at 6,595.45, up 1,001 points (17.91%) from the previous trading day, marking the largest percentage gain and point increase in history. The previous record for percentage gain was 11.95% set on October 30, 2008, while the previous record for point increase was 612.52 points recorded on the 9th of last year.
The KOSPI opened at 5,657.79, up 64.23 points (1.15%), but surged into double-digit gains immediately after the Volatility Index (VI) was lifted for top market capitalization stocks. At one point during the session, the KOSPI rose more than 18%, reaching as high as 6,630.77.
In the KOSPI market (based on KRX·Korea Exchange), foreigners recorded the largest net purchase in history, while individuals recorded the largest net sale. Foreigners' net purchases totaled 7.2196 trillion won, and individual net sales reached 8.2543 trillion won. Of the foreign net purchases, 3.6086 trillion won came from SK Hynix and 2.1168 trillion won from Samsung Electronics. Institutional investors made net purchases of 1.1782 trillion won. The previous record for foreign net purchases was 3.14 trillion won on October 2, 2025, and the previous record for individual net sales was 5.4161 trillion won on April 8, 2026.
By sector, electricity and electronics rose over 26%, manufacturing over 21%, healthcare and precision instruments over 16%, machinery and equipment over 12%, securities over 11%, distribution and construction over 10%, insurance and finance over 9%, transportation equipment and parts over 7%, metals over 6%, electricity and gas, IT services over 4%, transportation and warehousing, general services over 3%, entertainment and culture, non-ferrous metals, textiles and apparel over 2%, and chemicals, paper and wood products over 1%. Real estate was roughly flat, pharmaceuticals rose over 1%, and food and tobacco declined over 2%.
Among the top market capitalization stocks, SK Hynix, Samsung Electric, and SK Square closed at their circuit breaker limits. Samsung Electronics rose over 26%, Samsung C&T over 19%, Samsung Life over 17%, Hyundai Motor over 10%, Kia over 9%, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries over 7%, Hanwha Aerospace over 6%, and LG Energy Solution over 2%. KB Financial was roughly flat, Shinhan Financial Group was slightly down, and Samsung Biologics declined over 2%.
On this day, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix shattered all-time records for both percentage gain and point increase. Notably, with SK Hynix closing at its circuit breaker limit, the single-stock leverage product for SK Hynix recorded the highest percentage gain in history, while the inverse 2X product recorded the largest decline. Among these, Shinhan Asset Management's SOL SK Hynix Single-Stock Leverage and SOL SK Hynix Futures Single-Stock Inverse 2X closed at their circuit breaker limits, respectively.
The KOSDAQ closed at 719.76, up 74.98 points (11.63%) from the previous trading day, marking its second-highest percentage gain in history. The previous record was 11.47% on October 30, 2008.
In the KOSDAQ market, foreigners made net purchases of 172.9 billion won, institutional investors purchased 296.1 billion won, and individuals sold 468.7 billion won.
All sectors in the KOSDAQ market rose. Machinery and equipment gained over 19%, electricity and electronics over 15%, non-ferrous metals over 14%, manufacturing over 13%, healthcare and precision instruments, finance, and chemicals over 10%, general services, metals, transportation equipment and parts, and distribution over 9%, construction and IT services over 6%, pharmaceuticals over 5%, transportation and warehousing, textiles and apparel, and other manufacturing over 4%, paper and wood products, publishing and media reproduction, telecommunications, and entertainment and culture over 3%, and food and tobacco over 2%.
Among the top market capitalization stocks, Wonik IPS and PSK rose over 27%, Juseong Engineering over 26%, IOTech over 23%, Rino Industrial and Rainbow Robotics over 16%, Samcheong Pharmaceutical over 15%, LG Chem Bio and EcoPro over 12%, AlteoGen over 10%, ABL Bio over 9%, EcoPro BM over 7%, and HLB over 2%. Pharmaron declined over 2%.
As of 3:30 p.m. today, the won/dollar exchange rate in the Seoul foreign exchange market stood at 1,424.0 won, down 13.4 won from the same time yesterday.
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