South Korean shares post best week in over five years on Iran ceasefire optimism

LG Energy Solution

10/04/2026 07:53

KOSPI rises, foreigners net buyers

Korean won weakens against dollar

South Korea benchmark bond yield rises

For the midday report, please click nL1N40T01A

SEOUL, April 10 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares climbed more than 1% on Friday, ending the week with their biggest jump in more than five years, buoyed by optimism that the U.S.-Iran ceasefire will hold.

** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 closed up 80.86 points, or 1.40%, at 5,858.87, after rising more than 2% during the session.

** The KOSPI rose 8.96% this week, its biggest weekly gain since January 2021, after two consecutive weekly declines.

** The U.S. State Department will host a meeting next week to discuss ongoing ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, a State Department official said late on Thursday.

** "There is still uncertainty over negotiations but optimism is dominating caution," said Lee Kyoung-min, an analyst at Daishin Securities.

** South Korea's central bank kept its policy interest rate steady on Friday, maintaining a cautious stance as the conflict in Iran threatens to heat up inflation and weigh on growth in an economy heavily dependent on Middle Eastern energy.

** Among index heavyweights, chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS rose 0.98%, while peer SK Hynix 000660.KS gained 2.91%. Battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS slid 2.14%.

** Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS were unchanged and down 1%, respectively. Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 005490.KS added 0.54%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics 207940.KS fell 0.57%.

** Of the total 913 traded issues, 719 shares advanced, while 164 declined.

** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 1.1 trillion won ($742.09 million).

** The won was quoted at 1,482.5 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.53% lower than its previous close at 1,474.7.

** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR rose 1.9 basis points to 3.360%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR rose 2.1 basis points to 3.681%.

($1 = 1,482.3000 won)

 (Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)

 ((jihoon.lee@thomsonreuters.com;))