Lead

South Korean stocks soared more than 8 percent on Tuesday, staging a dramatic rebound from the previous session's plunge, as investors welcomed a ceasefire between Israel and Iran and regained confidence in the artificial intelligence (AI) boom. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) added 612.52 points, or 8.18 percent, to close at 8,096.93, reclaiming the 8,000-point threshold, according to Yonhap News Agency.

Coverage Comparison

All six Yonhap News Agency reports tracked the same story, providing consistent details on the KOSPI's record-breaking performance. The initial reports focused on the market's strong opening, with the index rising 2.85 percent at the bell, while later updates confirmed the full-day surge and the closure at 8,096.93. The reports collectively noted that the KOSPI posted its highest-ever daily increase, surpassing the previous record of 606.64 points set on May 21.

One report, updated with additional data, highlighted that trade volume was heavy at 442.4 million shares worth 46 trillion won (US$30.4 billion), with winners outnumbering losers 771 to 133. Institutions purchased a net 2.5 trillion won, while foreigners and retail investors unloaded local shares worth 2 trillion won and 618 billion won, respectively.

Key Claims

  • The KOSPI closed at 8,096.93, up 612.52 points, or 8.18 percent, after rising as high as 8,119.09 intraday.
  • The index's gain was the largest daily percentage increase on record, according to Yonhap.
  • The Korea Exchange activated a buy-side sidecar for the KOSPI shortly after opening, halting program trading for five minutes. A similar sidecar was issued for the KOSDAQ at 9:28 a.m.
  • The rebound was attributed to news that Israel and Iran halted attacks on each other after a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump, coupled with a tech rebound on Wall Street.
  • Overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 0.16 percent lower, while the S&P 500 rose 0.3 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite added 0.86 percent.
  • In Seoul, Samsung Electronics jumped 4.06 percent, and SK hynix soared 6.59 percent, leading the tech rally.
  • The Korean won was trading at 1,517.4 won against the U.S. dollar at 11:20 a.m., up 17.6 won from the previous session, according to one report.
  • One report noted that the KOSPI 200 volatility index surged more than 19 percent to a record high of 91.23, while another reported that bond prices closed higher, with the yield on three-year Treasurys shedding 8.4 basis points to 3.856 percent.

Perspectives

Analysts viewed the rebound as a natural correction following Monday's over 8 percent plunge, which was triggered by concerns over AI profitability and a possible U.S. Federal Reserve rate hike after hotter-than-expected jobs data. "As the negative factors that had triggered the sharp market decline began to ease, investors engaged in bargain hunting, particularly in large-cap semiconductor stocks, which had recently suffered steep losses," said Lee Kyoung-min, an analyst at Daishin Securities, as quoted by Yonhap.

Market participants also noted that the ceasefire between Israel and Iran helped restore risk appetite, and that confidence in the AI sector remained strong despite recent volatility. The local currency's sharp rise against the dollar was attributed to financial authorities' verbal intervention the previous day, according to a single report.

While all reports agreed on the key figures, some details—such as the volatility index and bond yields—appeared in only one of the provided extracts, and the won's trading level and the intervention claim were each carried by a single report as well. These points have not been independently corroborated across the sources.