South Korean shares fluctuate as investors assess US earnings

SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS

07/08/2026 02:03

KOSPI up 0.2% after surrendering most of an earlier 1.9% gain
Foreigners net buyers of local shares
Won little changed against U.S. dollar
Aug 7 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares flitted between gains and losses in early trade on Friday as investors assessed the latest round of U.S. corporate earnings, while the won traded flat against the dollar.
** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 was up 11.09 points, or 0.18%, at 6,307.47, as of 0025 GMT. The index rose as much as 1.9% earlier in the session before briefly turning negative, falling as much as 0.5%.
** Despite giving up most of its early gains, the index was down 4.2% for the week so far and remained on track for a third consecutive weekly decline.
** The muted move in South Korean stocks followed a subdued Wall Street session, with the Nasdaq .IXIC edging lower overnight on mixed corporate earnings and broader market concerns. .N
** Seoul stocks have been pressured by the unwinding of leveraged positions in chipmakers, as investors question whether major data centre operators can sustain aggressive spending on artificial intelligence.
** Among index heavyweights, Samsung Electronics 005930.KS rose 1.74%, while rival chipmaker SK Hynix 000660.KS fell 0.54%. Battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS gained 2.03%.    
** Shares of Hyundai Motor 005380.KS  and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS were down 2.13% and 0.97%, respectively. Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 005490.KS added 1.72%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics 207940.KS fell 0.13%.
** Of the total 894 traded issues, 478 shares advanced, while 360 declined.
** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 287.8 billion won  ($202.28 million).
** The won was quoted at 1,423.8 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.02% higher than its previous close at 1,424.1. 
** In offshore trading, the won KRW= was quoted at 1,422.7 per dollar, while in non-deliverable forward trading its one-month contract KRW1MNDFOR= was quoted at 1,421.8.
** The KOSPI has risen 49.67% so far this year.
** The won has strengthened 1.1% against the dollar so far this year.
** In money and debt markets, September futures on three-year treasury bonds KTBc1 lost 0.02 point to 103.37.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR was flat at 3.747%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR was unchanged at 4.184%.

($1 = 1,422.8000 won)

 (Reporting by Roshan Thomas in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
 ((Roshan.Thomas@thomsonreuters.com;))