The benchmark KOSPI rose more than 2% to around 4,410 on Monday, extending gains from the previous session to fresh record levels, as heavyweight semiconductor stocks rallied after chip prices rebounded, lifting earnings expectations. Samsung Electronics jumped about 4.5% after expectations grew for a strong fourth-quarter performance, supported by a late-2025 rebound in legacy DRAM and NAND prices, while SK hynix added 1.2%, lifting the index’s largest sector. The rally was reinforced by foreign inflows into large-cap technology stocks, with foreign ownership of major chipmakers hovering near multi-year highs amid expectations of sustained global demand for memory chips. Automakers added breadth to the advance, with Hyundai Motor (1.7%) and Kia (1.3%) rising on steady 2026 sales outlooks and improving export conditions. Additional gains were seen in LG Energy Solution (1.9%), SK Square (2.6%), Hanwha Aerospace (3.8%), and Doosan Enerbility (9.2%).
