South Korean shares soar more than 6% as chipmakers rebound

SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS

20/08/2026 03:22

KOSPI rises, foreigners net buyers
Korean won weakens against dollar
South Korea benchmark bond yield falls
SEOUL, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares climbed more than 6% on Thursday and were on track for their biggest daily gain in three weeks, underpinned by a sharp rebound in chipmaker stocks. 
** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 was up 407.48 points, or 6.30%, at 6,878.65 as of 0153 GMT. The KOSPI closed nearly 6% lower in the previous session.     
** The index was likely to touch its biggest daily percentage gain since July 31, if the current momentum persists. 
** Early on Thursday, the rally triggered a "sidecar" trading curb designed to temper excessive market volatility. 
** Shares of SK Hynix 000660.KS rose 12.93%, after the chipmaker said it would buy back and cancel 40 trillion won ($28.69 billion) of treasury shares and allocate more than 50% of free cash flow generated between 2025 and 2027 to boost shareholder returns.
** Peer Samsung Electronics 005930.KS surged almost 10%.
** Among other index heavyweights, battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS climbed 2.38%, while Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS were up 2.42% and 0.53%, respectively. 
** Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 005490.KS added 2.19%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics 207940.KS rose 1.68%.
** Of the total 902 traded issues, 544 shares advanced, while 319 declined.
** Foreigners were net buyers of shares worth 524.5 billion won.
** The won was quoted at 1,393.1 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.29% lower than its previous close at 1,389.1.
** In money and debt markets, September futures on three-year treasury bonds KTBc1 lost 0.04 point to 103.26.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR rose 2.9 basis points to 3.815%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR fell by 8.8 basis points to 4.325%.

($1 = 1,394.2100 won)

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