South Korea's KOSPI ends at record high, led by auto, steel firms

LG Energy Solution

28/04/2026 08:36

KOSPI rises, foreigners net sellers

Korean won steady against dollar

South Korean benchmark bond yield rises

For the midday report, please click nL1N41B01F

SEOUL, April 28 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares hit a record high on Tuesday, led by gains in automakers and steel manufacturers, with investor focus on major corporate earnings. The won was flat, while the benchmark bond yield rose.

    ** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 rose 25.99 points, or 0.39%, to settle at a closing record high of 6,641.02.

** Among index heavyweights, chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS fell 1.11%, while peer SK Hynix 000660.KS gained 0.62%. Battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS climbed 1.72%.

** Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS were up 5.92% and up 1.97%, respectively. Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 005490.KS added 11.74%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics 207940.KS fell 0.33%.

** Investor focus was on the earnings reports of major U.S. technology companies for clues on global artificial intelligence investments and their impact on semiconductor demand. Domestic heavyweights, including Samsung Electronics 005930.KS, will also report their earnings on Thursday.

** On the macroeconomic front, South Korea will release its monthly trade data for April on May 1.

** Of the total 889 traded issues, 433 shares advanced, while 419 declined.

** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 184.5 billion won.

** The won was quoted at 1,473.6 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, unchanged from its previous close.

** In offshore trading, the won KRW= was quoted at 1,473.2 per dollar, also unchanged, while in the non-deliverable forward trading its one-month contract KRW1MNDFOR= was quoted at 1,471.8.

** The KOSPI has risen 57.59% so far this year while the won has weakened 2.3% against the dollar.

** In money and debt markets, June futures on three-year treasury bonds KTBc1 lost 0.10 point to 103.75.

** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR rose by 3.7 basis points to 3.528%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR rose by 3.9 basis points to 3.861%.

 (Reporting by Cynthia Kim; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala)

 ((Cynthia.Kim@thomsonreuters.com; 822 3704 5655; Reuters Messaging: cynthia.kim.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))