Korea markets · Figures on this page update automatically.
The figures above show where the KOSPI, the main board of the Korea Exchange, and the KOSDAQ, its smaller growth-company market, are trading. Korean equities are unusually sensitive to the global semiconductor cycle, because a handful of memory and chip-related names dominate the market's value and their earnings swing with chip prices. That is why the KOSPI often reacts to overseas tech demand and export data rather than purely domestic news.
What is the difference between KOSPI and KOSDAQ?
KOSPI is the main board, home to Korea's largest listed companies, while KOSDAQ lists smaller, younger firms weighted toward technology and biotech. KOSDAQ is generally the more volatile of the two.
Why do semiconductors matter so much to the KOSPI?
Memory chipmakers and their suppliers account for a very large share of the index by market value, so their profits and the price of memory chips move the whole benchmark. Korea is also a major exporter, tying the market to global demand.
When does the Korean stock market trade?
The Korea Exchange runs on weekdays during Seoul hours, with an opening auction before the regular session and a closing auction at the end. It is shut for Korean public holidays.