Seoul, South Korea – The South Korean stock market concluded Friday’s trading session significantly higher, mirroring robust overnight gains on Wall Street. Investor sentiment was buoyed by growing optimism surrounding imminent US-Iran negotiations after a two-week ceasefire in the Middle East. Concurrently, the Korean won showed strength, appreciating against the US dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) surged by 80.86 points, a robust 1.4 percent increase, to close at 5,858.87. This impressive daily performance extended its weekly gains to nearly 9 percent, even amidst persistent geopolitical concerns.
Trading activity saw a moderate volume of 989.96 million shares change hands, valued at 23.43 trillion won (approximately $15.8 billion USD). Market breadth was positive, with **gainers significantly outnumbering losers**, 716 to 163.
**Foreign investors** demonstrated strong confidence in the Korean market, becoming net buyers of shares worth 1.1 trillion won. Conversely, institutions offloaded a net 294 billion won, and retail investors sold a net 1.23 trillion won.
Globally, Wall Street provided a strong lead overnight, with the **Dow Jones Industrial Average** climbing 0.58 percent and the **tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite** advancing a notable 0.83 percent.
**Investor sentiment** received a significant boost from positive developments in the Middle East. On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized direct negotiations with Lebanon, targeting the disarmament of Iran-backed Hezbollah – a move widely perceived as strengthening ongoing ceasefire efforts and promoting regional stability.
However, Netanyahu also clarified that no formal ceasefire agreement currently exists between Israel and Lebanon.
Looking ahead, the **United States and Iran** are anticipated to commence discussions over the weekend to formalize the ceasefire terms. US President Donald Trump expressed optimism about achieving an agreement, while simultaneously cautioning Tehran against any disruption to shipping in the strategically vital **Strait of Hormuz**.
“The **Kospi index** strongly rebounded towards the 5,800 level, driven by expectations that **ceasefire negotiations** will advance as planned in the coming weeks,” commented Kim Joo-yeon, a prominent analyst at Mirae Asset Securities.
Across the board, most **large-cap stocks** recorded gains during the trading session.
**Market bellwether Samsung Electronics** saw its shares climb 0.98 percent to 206,000 won, while its semiconductor rival **SK Hynix** surged an impressive 2.91 percent to 1,027,000 won, reflecting strong performance among **South Korean tech giants**.
**Defense giant Hanwha Aerospace Industries** jumped 3.86 percent, closing at 1,507,000 won, and leading **shipping firm HMM** also saw a robust gain of 3.84 percent, reaching 21,650 won.
However, not all sectors posted gains; prominent decliners included leading refiner **SK Innovation**, which fell 1.29 percent to 122,400 won, and major battery manufacturer **LG Energy Solution**, which declined 2.14 percent to 412,000 won.
