South Korea shares rise on relief from Middle East ceasefire

LG Energy Solution

08/04/2026 04:14

KOSPI rises, foreigners net buyers

Korean won strengthens against dollar

South Korea benchmark bond yield falls

SEOUL, April 8 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

     ** South Korean shares climbed nearly 6% on Wednesday as Washington and Tehran agreed to a two-week Middle East ceasefire, sparking a relief rally. The won strengthened, while the benchmark bond yield fell.

     ** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 was up 327.82 points, or 5.97%, at 5,822.60, as of 0239 GMT.

     ** Among index heavyweights, South Korean chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS rose 6.87%, extending gains after flagging an eightfold increase in its quarterly profit. Peer SK Hynix 000660.KS gained 9.61%. Battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS slid 0.86%.

     ** Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS were up 7.19% and 4.64%, respectively. Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 005490.KS added 3.18%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics 207940.KS rose 1.01%.

** In a separate development, North Korea fired an unidentified projectile towards the sea off the east coast, South Korea's military said on Wednesday.

     ** Of the total 913 traded issues, 774 shares advanced, while 114 declined.

     ** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 1,506.5 billion won.

     ** The won was quoted at 1,479.0 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 1.49% higher than its previous close at 1,501.0.

     ** In offshore trading, the won KRW= was quoted at 1,477.4 per dollar, up 1.3% on the day, while in non-deliverable forward trading its one-month contract KRW1MNDFOR= was quoted at 1,476.1.

     ** The KOSPI has risen 38.17% so far this year.

     ** The won has weakened 2.7% against the dollar so far this year.

     ** In money and debt markets, June futures on three-year treasury bonds KTBc1 gained 0.47 point to 104.46.

** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR fell 14.5 basis points to 3.304%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR fell by 11.9 basis points to 3.619%.

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

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