The total market capitalization of companies listed on South Korea’s stock market exceeded 6,000 trillion won ($4.08 trillion) for the first time on Monday. This surge was driven by optimism in the semiconductor sector, as per industry data. The combined market capitalization of companies on the three stock exchanges in South Korea reached 6,047.9 trillion won early Monday, with the Korea Exchange (KRX) providing this data.
South Korea’s main stock indices have been on a bullish trend since the beginning of April, largely due to high expectations for the top semiconductor companies in the country. During this period, the KOSPI index surged over 28 percent, while the smaller KOSDAQ rose by 14.4 percent. Notably, major semiconductor players like Samsung Electronics and SK hynix reported record first-quarter earnings earlier this month, benefiting from the global AI boom.
Despite uncertainties surrounding U.S.-Iran peace talks, Seoul stocks were trading significantly higher on Monday morning. Investors were shifting their focus towards the upcoming earnings reports from major conglomerates in the country. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) was up by 2.16 percent, trading at 6,615.27 points, setting the stage for a potential new record above the 6,600-point mark.
Investor sentiment in South Korea remained positive, with most top-caps in the market trading higher. Samsung Electronics saw a 2.05 percent increase, while SK hynix witnessed a substantial jump of 6.38 percent.
