South Korean shares post biggest fall in two weeks as chipmakers drop

SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS

28/09/2026 08:00

KOSPI falls, foreigners net sellers
Korean won weakens against dollar
South Korea benchmark bond yield rises
For the midday report, please click nL1N45K00T
SEOUL, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares fell more than 2% on Monday in catch-up trading following a holiday break, posting their biggest loss in two weeks as chipmakers dropped due to worries over high bond yields.
** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 closed down 191.17 points, or 2.70%, at 6,889.75, after a four-session gaining streak to a two-month high. The index marked its biggest daily percentage fall since September 14. 
** South Korean financial markets were closed on Thursday and Friday for local holidays.
** Wall Street ended higher on Friday, lifted by Microsoft and other AI-related technology stocks, while high oil prices and a recent surge in US Treasury yields kept investors on edge. .N
** "Foreign selling was concentrated in the chip sector after a rise in bond yields. Still, it is difficult to say whether broader investor sentiment is weak due to high bond yields, with gainers outnumbering decliners," said Huh Jae-hwan, an analyst at Eugene Investment Securities. 
** The Bank of Korea said on Monday the central bank would closely monitor financial and foreign exchange markets. The country's finance minister said the government would also step up cooperation with the central bank on financial market monitoring and response.   
** Investors' focus is on South Korea's export data and Micron Technology's MU.O earnings due later this week for clues on an AI-driven chip boom, analysts say. 
** Chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS fell 5.43% and peer SK Hynix 000660.KS lost 5.05%, dragging the benchmark index lower.    
** Of the total 914 traded issues, 611 shares advanced, while 249 declined.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 3.2 trillion won ($2.35 billion). 
** The won was quoted at 1,365.1 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.59% lower than its previous close at 1,357.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR rose 12 basis points to 4.118%, its highest level since November 2022. The benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR rose 12.4 bps to 4.533%.

($1 = 1,363.6000 won)

 (Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Janane Venkatraman)
 ((jihoon.lee@thomsonreuters.com;))