South Korea shares close at record high on Middle East peace hopes after holiday

Samsung Electronics Co

26/05/2026 08:20

KOSPI rises, foreigners net sellers

Korean won strengthens against dollar

South Korea benchmark bond yield falls

For the midday report, please click nL1N42300N

SEOUL, May 26 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:

** South Korean shares rose on Tuesday, closing at a record high to catch up with regional gains after a holiday in the previous session, as hopes grew that Washington and Tehran may be nearing a peace deal. The won strengthened, while the benchmark bond yield fell. ** The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 index closed up 199.80 points, or 2.55%, at a record closing high of 8,047.51. ** Among index heavyweights, chipmaker Samsung Electronics 005930.KS rose 2.22%, while peer SK Hynix 000660.KS surged 5.72%. Battery maker LG Energy Solution 373220.KS rose 0.25%.

** Iran's top negotiator and its foreign minister were in Doha for talks with Qatar's prime minister on a potential deal with the United States to end the three-month-old war, an official briefed on the visit said on Monday, after Washington and Tehran played down the chances of an imminent breakthrough.

** Samsung Electronics' 005930.KS union representing workers in non-semiconductor divisions has filed an injunction to a South Korean court in a bid to stop an ongoing vote by workers in its semiconductor division on a bonus increase, a media report said on Tuesday. ** Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and sister automaker Kia Corp 000270.KS were up 5.19% and up 1.33%, respectively. Steelmaker POSCO Holdings 005490.KS shed 1.23%, while drugmaker Samsung BioLogics 207940.KS rose 0.71%. ** Of the total 918 traded stocks, 234 advanced, while 656 declined. ** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 184.3 billion won. ** The KOSPI has risen 90.96% so far this year. ** The won has weakened 4.3% against the dollar in 2026. ** In money and debt markets, June futures on three-year treasury bonds KTBc1 gained 0.21 point to 103.51. ** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield KR3YT=RR fell by 6.5 basis points to 3.662%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10YT=RR fell by 7.3 basis points to 4.071%.

 (Reporting by Cynthia Kim; Editing by Ronojoy Mazumdar)

 ((Cynthia.Kim@thomsonreuters.com; 822 3704 5655; Reuters Messaging: cynthia.kim.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))