South Korean shares close at highest since late July as chipmakers jump

HYUNDAI MOTOR

07/09/2026 08:02

KOSPI rises, foreigners net buyers
Korean won strengthens against dollar
South Korea benchmark bond yield rises
For the midday report, please click nL1N44Z00X
SEOUL, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares rose more than 4% on Monday to notch their highest close since late July, as chipmakers rallied on optimism around strong demand for AI investments. 
** The won hit its highest level in nearly two years, while the benchmark bond yield rose.
** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 closed up 308.18 points, or 4.61%, at 6,995.39, its highest closing level since July 23 and the biggest daily percentage rise since August 20.  
** Wall Street weakened on Friday, but the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index .SOX was a clear outperformer, gaining 3.4%. .N
** South Korea's exports so far this year have already surpassed last year's annual record, as the economy rides high on booming global demand for AI chips.    
** Chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS rose 5.68% and peer SK Hynix 000660.KS gained 8.26%, leading the benchmark index higher. 
** Among other index heavyweights, battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS climbed 1.12%, while Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS were up 2.48% and up 1.50%, respectively.
** Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 005490.KS shed 0.45%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics 207940.KS rose 1.31%.
** Of the total 911 traded issues, 478 shares advanced, while 381 declined.
** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 2.6 trillion won ($1.94 billion). 
** The won was quoted at 1,340.5 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.72% higher than its previous close at 1,350.1. Earlier in the session, it rose as much as 1.15% to 1,334.7, its strongest level since early October 2024. 
** South Korea's National Pension Service (NPS) has suspended foreign exchange hedging operations, as the won strengthened to a near two-year high.
** In money and debt markets, September futures on 3-year treasury bonds KTBc1 lost 0.04 of a point to 103.13.
** The most liquid 3-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR rose by 2.1 basis points to 3.904%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR rose by 2 basis points to 4.381%.

($1 = 1,341.6300 won)

 (Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Ronojoy Mazumdar)
 ((jihoon.lee@thomsonreuters.com;))