South Korean shares pare early gains as chipmakers reverse course

SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS

10/08/2026 07:51

KOSPI rises, foreigners net sellers
Korean won weakens against dollar
South Korea benchmark bond yield rises
For the midday report, please click nL1N44701B
SEOUL, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares closed higher on Monday after Wall Street's record-setting rally eased concerns about U.S. interest rate hikes, although the benchmark index trimmed early gains as heavyweight chipmakers reversed course.
** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 closed up 40.89 points, or 0.65%, at 6,299.66, after rising as much as nearly 2% earlier in the session.
** Among index heavyweights, chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS ended 0.43% lower and peer SK Hynix 000660.KS lost 0.14%, erasing early gains of more than 3% each. 
** "Market volatility declined as trading of leveraged exchange-traded funds dried out following a significant correction," said Kim Joon-young, an analyst at iM Securities. 
** U.S. stocks advanced on Friday, with the S&P closing at a record high to cap off a strong week of gains for the major indexes, after data dampened expectations the Federal Reserve would raise interest rates at its September meeting. .N
** Shares of battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS climbed 2.08%, while Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS were up 3.16% and 0.44%, respectively.
** Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 005490.KS added 1.51%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics 207940.KS rose 0.84%.
** Of the total 911 traded issues, 697 shares advanced, while 183 declined.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 1.5 trillion won ($1.06 billion). 
** The won was quoted at 1,418.4 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.63% lower than its previous close at 1,409.5.
** In money and debt markets, September futures on three-year treasury bonds KTBc1 lost 0.05 point to 103.34.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR rose 3.2 basis points to 3.783%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR rose 4.1 basis points to 4.239%.

     ($1 = 1,416.9400 won)

 (Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
 ((jihoon.lee@thomsonreuters.com;))