Korea Stock Market News
KOSPI & KOSDAQ moves, foreign/institutional flows, and company catalysts — translated for global investors.
Won-Dollar Exchange Rate Falls from 1,561 Won to the 1,400 Won Range, Changing Foreign Buying Conditions
The won-dollar exchange rate fell from its June 1 peak of 1,561 won to the 1,400 won range in August. A stronger won is a key variable for foreign exchange gains and KOSPI multiple recovery.
Aug 29, 2026
Aseatec: Why revenue rose 7% while operating profit jumped 66%
Aseatec disclosed that on a standalone basis for July 2025 to June 2026, revenue rose 7.0%, operating profit increased 66.0%, and net profit climbed 103.0%. Profitability improved much more than the top line, but the impact of non-operating income should be viewed separately.
Aug 29, 2026
Why Dick's Sporting Goods and Foot Locker Fell 30% One Year After a $2.4 Billion Bet
One year after Dick's Sporting Goods acquired Foot Locker, weak footwear business sent the stock swinging more than 30%. DTC expansion, failed new product launches, and inventory discounting pressures squeezed margins, while the company also cut its annual EPS guidance to $11-$12.
Aug 29, 2026
What Faker Lee Sang-hyeok’s Second Asian Games Gold Could Signal for T1 and Gaming Stocks
Faker Lee Sang-hyeok’s bid for a second Asian Games gold would lift T1 and the brand value of LoL esports. But gaming stocks’ earnings would reflect that later, through advertising, sponsorships, and viewing time, while platforms such as SOOP would react first.
Aug 29, 2026
New York stocks slump on hawkish Waller remarks as 2-year Treasury yield surges; tech leads the pullback
New York stocks wobbled after Fed Chair Waller struck a hawkish tone. The 2-year yield and the dollar jumped, and the odds of a September rate hike rose from around 35% to about 58%, putting pressure first on tech and semiconductors.
Aug 29, 2026
U.S. Rate-Hike Bets Hit 58%, Bond Market Shakes the KOSPI by 1.8%
The probability of a U.S. rate hike jumped from 35% to 58% in a single day, pushing the 2-year yield to 4.35%. Korean growth stocks and bank stocks are starting to face a fresh reassessment of discount rates.
Aug 29, 2026
57% Bet on a U.S. Rate Hike, and KOSPI Tech Stocks Start to Wobble First
The probability of a U.S. rate hike jumped from 35% to 57% after the Jackson Hole remarks, while the 2-year yield climbed to 4.32%. The won and growth-stock multiples are the first to face pressure.
Aug 29, 2026
Aseatech's 50-won year-end dividend signals cash-flow resilience as 2.7% yield leaves its mark
Aseatech has decided on a 50-won year-end cash dividend per common stock. The dividend yield is 2.7%, and the total payout is 909,437,800 won. It will be paid within one month after shareholder approval, with the key point being resilience rather than a bigger payout.
Aug 29, 2026
Kakao union 15% report rebuttal: the platform cost debate is not over
A rebuttal report has been issued over coverage of Kakao union’s demand for 15% of operating profit. The key variable is not an immediate cost shock, but labor-cost allocation and trust in platform margins.
Aug 29, 2026
Why Konami's Castlevania, a 40-Year IP, Is Returning With an October Release
Konami's new Castlevania title launches on October 15 for PC, PS5, and Xbox. It aims to convert fans coming in from Netflix into buyers alongside existing Metroidvania players.
Aug 29, 2026
Affirm surges as GMV jumps 36%... BNPL re-rating begins
Affirm reported fiscal 2026 fourth-quarter revenue of $1.16596 billion and GMV of $14.057 billion. The key question is whether the 2.5% delinquency rate can be sustained, not the pace of growth.
Aug 29, 2026
Icure's largest shareholder changes from 15.08% to 39.16%... resumption of trading is the key
Icure’s largest shareholder changed from Choi Young-kwon’s 15.08% stake to 39.16% held by SoluM Cosmetic and two others after payment for a third-party allocated paid-in capital increase. The main issues are the one-year mandatory holding period and the listing maintenance review, rather than management participation.
Aug 28, 2026
Samsung Biologics Falls First on KRW 3 Trillion Paid-in Capital Increase and PolyPeptide Acquisition
Samsung Biologics is issuing 2.27 million new shares at KRW 1,322,000 per share in a KRW 3 trillion paid-in capital increase. Of the proceeds, KRW 2.7062 trillion will fund the acquisition of PolyPeptide Group and KRW 294.8 billion will go to the Songdo expansion, so the short-term dilution burden is showing up first.
Aug 28, 2026
Geugu Holdings Surges 29.77% as Search Interest Spikes and Sector Strength Broadens
It jumped 29.77% on the day, ranking 7th among KOSPI/KOSDAQ sharp gain (surge) names. The move appears to be more of a rotation trade driven by a spike in search interest and broad strength in peer healthcare stocks than by a company-specific disclosure. Short-term momentum is strong, but sustainability needs separate confirmation.
Aug 28, 2026
Joa Pharmaceutical stock surges 26% as pharma shares strengthen together and search volume spikes
Joa Pharmaceutical jumped 26.78% on the day, ranking fourth among KOSPI and KOSDAQ gainers. As DongKook Pharmaceutical rose 14.8% and Naver search volume spiked at the same time, the move appears more like a sector rotation into pharmaceutical stocks than a reaction to any individual disclosure.
Aug 28, 2026
Ghost Studio’s Treasury Share Buyback Signals a Company Already Holding 9.42% of Its Own Stock
Ghost Studio disclosed a decision to buy back treasury shares on August 28. With existing treasury shares equal to 9.42% and first-quarter operating profit growth, the move looks like a supply-demand (order flow) defense card.
Aug 28, 2026
POSCO Holdings secures 1 trillion won borrowing limit for Argentina lithium project, buys time before monetization
POSCO Holdings has secured a 1 trillion won borrowing limit from the IDB Group for its Argentina lithium business. By easing early cash burn and dollar funding pressure, the move raises expectations for cost stability across the battery materials chain, including POSCO Future M.
Aug 28, 2026
Trump family crypto bank’s 49% UAE royal stake shakes up the stablecoin market
The entry of UAE royal capital into WLTC Holdings, the Trump family’s crypto bank holding company, has intensified debate over its preliminary approval. The institutional push for stablecoin USD1 is challenging the regulatory premium enjoyed by Coinbase and Circle.
Aug 28, 2026
Samsung Electro-Mechanics Tops Top-Performer Buying as Investors Also Load Up on Samsung Electronics and SK hynix
Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Samsung Electronics, and SK hynix ranked among the top buys for investors in the top 1% by returns at 9:30 a.m. on the 28th. The key question is whether AI chip demand is spreading into components and memory.
Aug 28, 2026
Samsung Electronics and SK hynix bought 8.5 trillion won over 6 days... 46 trillion won still remains
Samsung Electronics and SK hynix’s 8.5 trillion won of share buybacks over six days have reshaped KOSPI supply-demand (order flow). The key question now is whether the remaining 46 trillion won will become a floor for valuations in the large-cap semiconductor names.
Aug 28, 2026
National Pension Service’s First-Half Return Tops 27%... When the Semiconductor Rally Ends, Its Profit Structure Will Shake Too
The National Pension Service posted a first-half return of 27.22%, lifting its fund assets to 1,866 trillion won. Domestic stocks drove the result with 107.37%, while domestic bonds at -3.00% and the won-dollar exchange rate will be key variables in the second half. It is a number built on semiconductor and large-cap concentration.
Aug 28, 2026
Jinyang Poly Surges as Attention Grows Amid Chemical Stock Rotation
Jinyang Poly rose 11.08% today, ranking 17th in the surge list. A spike in search volume also suggests short-term rotation trading within the chemical sector.
Aug 28, 2026
SPSoft Shares Surge as IT Services Rotation Moves to Center Stage
SPSoft surged 29.90% on the day, ranking second among gainers. The key signal is not a company-specific disclosure, but rotation into the IT services theme and rising search interest.
Aug 28, 2026
Busan’s Maritime Capital Town Hall Meeting: The September 14 policy signal shipping stocks have not yet priced in
Busan City will hold a maritime-sector town hall meeting at 2 p.m. on September 14 at Asti Hotel Busan. There is no budget yet, but this is the inflection point that will help determine whether the policy premium on shipping, port, and shipbuilding stocks can hold.
Aug 28, 2026