On the 24th, the KOSPI index started higher, moving around the 3210 line, influenced by the rise in the U.S. stock market overnight.
As of 9:07 a.m. on that day, the KOSPI index recorded 3215.69, up 31.92 points (1.00%) from the previous day. In the securities market, foreign investors and institutions purchased 2.674 billion won and 130 million won respectively, driving the index's rise. Individuals sold a net 2.754 billion won.
At the same time, large-cap stocks were all in the green. Doosan Enerbility rose more than 4%, while SK hynix, LG Energy Solution, and Samsung Biologics saw gains in the 2% range. Kia (1.41%), KB Financial (1.39%), Hanwha Aerospace (0.66%), Samsung Electronics preferred (0.54%), and Samsung Electronics (0.15%) also increased.
At the same time, the KOSDAQ index was trading at 819.34, up 5.78 points (0.71%) from the previous day. In the KOSDAQ market, foreign investors net bought 32.9 million won, while individuals and institutions sold off 24.5 billion won and 900 million won respectively.
Most of the large-cap stocks on the KOSDAQ were also rising. Sam Chun Dang Pharm surged 7%, while HUGEL (1.28%), Alteogen (1.25%), LigaChem Biosciences (0.55%), Rainbow Robotics (0.37%), and ECOPRO BM (0.27%) were also on the rise. In contrast, Peptron fell 1.35%.
On that day, in the Seoul foreign exchange market, the won-dollar exchange rate began trading at 1373.7 won, down 6.1 won from the previous day.
Overnight, U.S. stocks closed strong amid growing optimism over trade negotiations. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 40,510.29, up 1.14% from the previous trading day. The Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 index closed up 0.78% at 6,358.91, while the Nasdaq index rose by 0.61% to 21,020.02.
The trade negotiations between the U.S. and Japan reached a settlement, and there are expectations of progress in negotiations with the European Union (EU) before the reciprocal tariff implementation date of August 1, which has stimulated investor sentiment.
Speculative transactions by retail investors targeting "meme stocks" (stocks that attract individual investors through viral online trends) are also on the rise. The portable camera equipment company GoPro surged 73% at one point during the day but later gave back most of its gains, closing up 12%. The donut franchise Krispy Kreme also rose nearly 40% early in the day, but fluctuated widely, ultimately closing up 4.6%.