South Korean shares post best week in over 3 months on chipmaker rebound

SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS

14/08/2026 07:55

KOSPI rises, foreigners net buyers
Korean won strengthens against dollar
South Korea benchmark bond yield rises
For the midday report, please click nL1N44B012
SEOUL, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares rose sharply on Friday to post their biggest weekly jump in more than three months, led by gains in chipmakers on AI optimism. 
** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 closed up 164.60 points, or 2.42%, at 6,977.94, its highest close since July 23. 
** The KOSPI rose for the fifth consecutive session and ended the week up 11.5%, the first weekly gain in eighth weeks and the biggest since early May. It came after the index lost almost 31% over the previous seven weeks.
** The S&P 500 notched a record-high close on Thursday, fuelled by advances in technology stocks, as tame producer price inflation data supported expectations the Federal Reserve will not raise interest rates at its September meeting. .N
** "U.S. memory chipmaker Sandisk SNDK.O suggested long-term growth potential and high profitability, strengthening investor sentiment around the semiconductor sector and fuelling upward pressure on domestic memory chipmakers," said Lee Kyoung-min, an analyst at Daishin Securities. 
** Chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS rose 2.43% on Friday and peer SK Hynix 000660.KS gained 3.26%, bringing their weekly gains to 19% and 16%, respectively. 
** Market volatility .KSVKOSPI has decreased in recent days. The volatility index stood at 56 on Friday, versus a record high of 98 in late June.
** The market will be closed on Monday for a public holiday. 
** Among other heavyweights, battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS climbed 1.09%, while Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS were up 8.24% and 3.13%, respectively. 
** Of the total 906 traded issues, 677 shares advanced, while 204 declined.
** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 3 trillion won ($2.12 billion). 
** The won was quoted at 1,418.3 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.02% higher than its previous close at 1,418.6.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR rose by 1.7 basis points to 3.797%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR rose by 1.2 basis points to 4.305%.

($1 = 1,416.9000 won)

 (Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala)
 ((jihoon.lee@thomsonreuters.com;))