Daily Briefing (English)

2026-10-08 · KOSPI & Nasdaq
Headline

KOSPI Plunges 2.62% on Foreign and Institutional Sell-Off; Profit-Taking in Semiconductors Outweighs Strong Earnings

Key Takeaways
  • The KOSPI tumbled 2.62% as foreign and institutional investors offloaded over 4 trillion KRW, overshadowing Samsung Electronics' strong earnings release.
  • The KOSDAQ fell slightly (-0.69%), showing relative resilience despite heightened volatility in individual pharmaceutical and biotech shares.
  • The Nasdaq edged down (-0.22%) amid pressure from elevated long-term U.S. Treasury yields and a cautious global market stance, reflecting continued risk aversion.
Highlights

KOSPI

Intense foreign selling focused on large-cap semiconductor stocks pushed the index back to the lower 6,600s, deepening supply-demand imbalances despite aggressive retail net buying.

Highlights

KOSDAQ

Weakness in leading biotech names like Alteogen weighed on the market, but rebounds in secondary battery and select materials/components stocks provided downside support.

Highlights

NASDAQ

Upward pressure on yields and caution ahead of macroeconomic indicators capped upside momentum across tech shares, prolonging a consolidation phase.

Today's Watchlist
  • Continuity of foreign capital outflows and the direction of futures-linked program trading
  • Trends in long-term U.S. Treasury yields and liquidity sensitivity surrounding Fed officials' commentary
  • Earnings guidance from major IT and biotech companies as the corporate reporting season gets underway
Risk Note

Index volatility could increase if large-scale foreign selling persists in the near term, while caution is warranted regarding clinical and contract uncertainties for individual stocks.

Last updated: 2026-10-08 16:00:27