The KOSPI index turned to a downward trend after hitting a new high in the early hours of trading on the 22nd, falling below the 3200 level. The index seems to have undergone a correction due to the burden of high prices as it has been rising for days. Jerome Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve System (Fed), also presents a concerning factor for continuing to hold stocks.
On the 22nd, the KOSPI index finished at 3169.94, down 40.87 points (1.27%) compared to the previous trading day. It started the day at 3210.19, down 0.62 points from the previous day, and recorded its highest price in the past year at 3220.27 in the early hours of trading, but soon turned to a downward trend. As the afternoon progressed, the decline deepened, causing it to fall below the 3200 level.
Individuals started net buying from the early hours of trading, purchasing a total of 511.4 billion won. Foreign and institutional investors sold a net 161 billion won and 413.9 billion won, respectively.
Most of the top 10 stocks by market capitalization in the securities market closed lower. LG Energy Solution rose 0.76%, Samsung Biologics increased by 0.29%, and Hanwha Aerospace edged up 0.33%, while all other stocks showed weakness. Notably, Doosan Enerbility fell by 8.48%, and Samsung Electronics dropped by 2.65%, indicating profit-taking in stocks that had recently surged.
By sector, oil and chemical showed strength, while secondary batteries were strong in the morning but turned to a downward trend in the afternoon. Financial holding companies, automobiles, and semiconductors generally showed weakness. With overall investment cooling, differences in the movement of individual stocks were more due to second-quarter earnings than sector-specific issues.
Lee Jae-won, a researcher at Shinhan Investment Corp, noted that "the market focusing on policy and tariff issues is taking a breather" and remarked, "It is necessary to identify stocks with a high possibility of flow after confirming earnings and tariffs."
On this day, the KOSDAQ index closed at 812.97, down 8.72 points (1.06%) compared to the previous trading day. The KOSDAQ index started at 822.69, up 1 point from the previous day, but turned to a downward trend in the afternoon. By investor type, individuals net bought 184.9 billion won, while foreign and institutional investors sold a net 43.7 billion won and 144.7 billion won, respectively.
All of the top 10 stocks by market capitalization in the KOSDAQ market closed lower. Alteogen fell 1.66%, showing weakness for the second consecutive day after surpassing the new high of 500,000 won. Rainbow Robotics plummeted by 2.62%, losing its 7th place market capitalization position to LigaChem Biosciences.
Among individual stocks, CAREGEN rose by 14.37% following news that it revealed its oral GLP-1 health functional food "Coglutaide" at the "CPhI South East Asia 2025" pharmaceutical and biotech exhibition held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Benefiting from a boom in the botulinum toxin theme, Humedix increased by 26.65%, while Huons rose by 1.68%.
The researcher evaluated that "the major stocks in the KOSDAQ market are showing signs of taking a breather after hitting new highs."
Among the reasons for investors' conservative stance on this day is a statement by Jerome Powell, chair of the Fed. During the scheduled speech that night, Powell is expected to mention the direction of monetary policy.
On this day, the exchange rate in the Seoul foreign exchange market closed at 1387.9 won, up 4.6 won compared to the previous day against the U.S. dollar.