Kospi Index Closes Down 0.24% at 3014.47.

Kospi Index Closes Down 0.24% at 3014.47.

The KOSPI index, South Korea's benchmark stock market index, closed down 0.24% at 3014.47 on June 19, 2025. This decline follows a period of market volatility, driven by various factors including geopolitical tensions and sector-specific performances.

The day's opening saw the KOSPI index fall by 1.7% at 2,800 points, a significant drop from its highest level in over 10 months [2]. The index's performance was influenced by weaker performances in electronic and brokerage stocks, reflecting broader concerns in the financial sector [1]. Despite the opening loss, the index rebounded to close at 3014.47, down 0.24% from the previous close.

Investor sentiment was initially boosted by a sharp rebound in semiconductor exports, which surged 50.9% year-on-year to $13.4 billion, driven by robust global demand for memory chips and advanced components [2]. However, geopolitical tensions, particularly the U.S. strikes on Iran, led to a sell-off in South Korean shares. The KOSPI index fell 19.10 points, or 0.63%, to 3,002.74 as of 0243 GMT on Monday, June 17, 2025 [3].

The Korean won also weakened against the dollar, with the won quoted at 1,380.0 per U.S. dollar on the onshore settlement platform USDKRW, a 0.43% decrease from Friday's close of 1,374.0 [3]. The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield (KR3YT=RR) rose 2.2 basis points to 2.493%, while the benchmark 10-year yield KR10 added 2.5 basis points to 2.889% [3].

Despite the recent volatility, the KOSPI index has shown resilience. Since the beginning of 2025, the index has increased 371 points or 15.48%, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks this benchmark index from South Korea [2]. Looking forward, analysts expect the index to trade at 2665.30 points by the end of this quarter and at 2570.61 in 12 months time [2].

References:
[1] https://www.gurufocus.com/news/2938402/asian-markets-open-lower-as-electronic-and-brokerage-stocks-weigh
[2] https://tradingeconomics.com/south-korea/stock-market
[3] https://www.tradingview.com/news/reuters.com,2025:newsml_L1N3SQ01U:0-south-korean-shares-off-3-1-2-year-high-after-us-strikes-on-iran/