South Korea's KOSPI rises 3% to record high on potential US-Iran peace deal

LG Energy Solution

26/05/2026 02:02

KOSPI rises, foreigners net buyers

Korean won strengthens against dollar

South Korea benchmark bond yield falls

SEOUL, May 26 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

     ** South Korean shares climbed 3% to a record high on Tuesday, catching up with regional gains after a holiday in the previous session, as hopes grew that Washington and Tehran may be nearing a peace deal. The won firmed and the benchmark bond yield fell.

** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 was up 250.91 points, or 3.20%, at 8,098.62, as of 00:32 GMT, reaching an intra-day record high.

     ** Among index heavyweights, chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS rose 2.65%, while peer SK Hynix 000660.KS gained 6.23%. Battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS climbed 2.38%.

** Shares of Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS were up 5.34% and 2.25%, respectively. Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 005490.KS added 1.68%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics 207940.KS advanced 1.20%.

** Iran's top negotiator and its foreign minister were in Doha for talks with Qatar's prime minister on a potential deal with the United States to end the three-month-old war, an official briefed on the visit said on Monday, after Washington and Tehran played down hopes for an imminent breakthrough.

** Samsung Electronics' 005930.KS union representing workers in non-semiconductor divisions has filed an injunction to a South Korean court in a bid to stop an ongoing vote by workers in its semiconductor division on a bonus increase, media report said on Tuesday.

** Of the total 915 traded issues, 442 shares advanced, while 429 declined.

** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 125.3 billion won.

** The KOSPI has risen 92.18% so far this year.

** The won has weakened 4.8% against the dollar so far this year.

** In money and debt markets, June futures on three-year treasury bonds KTBc1 gained 0.16 point to 103.46.

** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR was flat at 3.727%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR fell by 8.5 basis points to 4.059%.

 (Reporting by Cynthia Kim; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)

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