On the 14th, the KOSPI index broke the 3200 mark for the first time in 3 years and 10 months. Despite ongoing concerns over tariffs from the U.S., expectations for the government's stock market revitalization policies continued, leading to a bullish trend in the market.

On the afternoon of the 14th, the stock market closing price is displayed on the electronic board in the Hana Bank headquarters dealing room in Jung-gu, Seoul./Courtesy of News1

The KOSPI index closed at 3202.03 on that day. It rose by 26.26 points (0.83%) compared to the previous trading day. The KOSPI index started off slightly down due to President Trump's threat of high tariffs but quickly reversed to an upward trend. Although profit-taking sales occurred as the KOSPI index surpassed the 3200 mark during the day, it finished trading above that level, supported by foreign buying right before the market closed.

In the securities market, foreign investors and institutions showed net buying. Foreigners purchased 177 billion won, and institutions bought 12 billion won worth of stocks, lifting the market. Individuals, however, sold a net worth of 270 billion won. Similar to the KOSPI, stock markets in East Asia, including Japan and China, also showed slight increases.

Lee Kyung-min, a researcher at DAISHIN SECURITIES, noted, "Concerns have arisen about an increase in universal tariffs to around 15-20% for countries that have not been notified of tariff rates, following the announcement of tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and the EU over the weekend. However, the Korean and Japanese markets, which have already received tariff notifications, appear to be unaffected by the situation."

On that day, the cosmetics sector saw a widespread increase. The announcement that Chinese President Xi Jinping may visit Korea this fall for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit boosted sentiment. If President Xi attends the APEC summit, it will be his first visit to Korea in 11 years.

Hankook Cosmetics surged by over 20%, reaching its highest price in a year. TONYMOLY, Amorepacific Corporation, and LG H&H also saw substantial gains.

As expectations for the government's shareholder return policy increased, insurance stocks and holding company stocks rose in tandem. This coincided with the introduction of a bill that mandates the retirement of treasury shares, along with news that the Ministry of Economy and Finance is prioritizing the separation of taxation on dividend income in its tax reform proposals.

On that day, insurance companies such as Samsung Life Insurance, Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, DB Insurance, Hanwha Life, Hanwha General Insurance, and Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance, as well as firms like Samsung C&T, Woori Financial Group, and Hana Financial Group, saw their stock prices rise.

The automobile sector also attracted significant buying interest. The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced that it would demand tariff reductions on automobiles and steel from the U.S. in exchange for alleviating some of the non-tariff barriers, which improved market sentiment for related industries.

Along with major automakers such as Hyundai Motor and Kia, HL Mando and SL Corporation also saw their stock prices rise. Steel companies like Hyundai Steel and POSCO Holdings also ended the day at higher prices than the previous trading day.

On that day, the KOSDAQ index closed at 799.37, down 1.1 points (0.14%) from the previous trading day. In the KOSDAQ market, only individuals took part in net buying worth 200 billion won. Meanwhile, foreigners and institutions showed a selling advantage, with net sales of 150 billion won and 40 billion won, respectively.

Among the listed items in the KOSDAQ market, 941 stocks fell, while 670 stocks rose. The leading stock Alteogen, along with HLB, Ecopro, PharmaResearch, saw gains. Conversely, stocks such as Rainbow Robotics, LigaChem Biosciences, HUGEL, and ABL Bio experienced declines.

Lee Jae-won, a researcher at Shinhan Investment Corp, stated, "For the time being, market attention will be focused on corporate earnings," adding that it is important to pay attention to sectors expected to surpass earnings forecasts or stocks deemed undervalued in terms of profitability.

As of the market closing time, the exchange rate of the Korean won against the U.S. dollar was recorded at 1381.2 won, up 5.8 won from the previous day in the Seoul foreign exchange market. This is interpreted as being under upward pressure due to reduced appetite for risk assets in regard to President Trump's tariff pressures.

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