South Korean shares rise on cautious optimism ahead of Nvidia earnings

LG Energy Solution

26/08/2026 03:41

KOSPI rises, foreigners net sellers
Korean won strengthens against dollar
South Korea benchmark bond yield falls
SEOUL, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets: 
** South Korean shares edged up on Wednesday as investors grew cautiously optimistic ahead of Nvidia Corp.'s earnings, which could offer clues about the profitability of the AI industry. The won strengthened, while the benchmark bond yield fell.
** AI chip leader Nvidia's NVDA.O quarterly results, due later in the day, are expected to be a key catalyst for global markets. ** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 was up 29.97 points, or 0.44%, at 6,772.71 as of 0211 GMT.  ** Among index heavyweights, chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS rose 0.78%, while peer SK Hynix 000660.KS gained 0.72%. Battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS slid 0.29%. ** Shares of Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS were down 0.59% and 1.56%, respectively. 
** Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 005490.KS shed 1.73%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics 207940.KS rose 0.50%.
** Automaker Kia Corp and its South Korean labour union have reached a tentative wage agreement, the union and company said, averting partial strikes that had been scheduled to begin later in the day. 
** The agreement follows weeks of wage negotiations and removes the threat of production disruptions at the automaker's domestic plants. ** Of the total 907 traded issues, 439 shares advanced, while 429 declined. ** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 509.3 billion won. ** The won was quoted at 1,383.1 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.07% higher than its previous close at 1,384.0. ** In offshore trading, the won KRW= was quoted at 1,382.1 per dollar, while in non-deliverable forward trading its one-month contract KRW1MNDFOR= was quoted at 1,381.4. ** The KOSPI has risen 60.71% so far this year. ** The won has strengthened 4.1% against the dollar so far this year. ** In money and debt markets, September futures on three-year treasury bonds KTBc1 gained 0.11 point to 103.40. ** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR fell 4.0 basis points to 3.787%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR fell 8.1 basis points to 4.261%.


 (Reporting by Cynthia Kim; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
 ((Cynthia.Kim@thomsonreuters.com; 822 3704 5655; Reuters Messaging: cynthia.kim.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))