The benchmark KOSPI rose 0.52% to around 5,266 on Monday, extending its advance for a second consecutive session as bargain hunting and gains in battery makers and financial stocks underpinned the market. Sentiment was further supported by robust trade data: South Korea’s exports more than doubled year-on-year to $33.5 billion in the first ten days of November, largely driven by a 331.2% jump in semiconductor shipments.
Among notable gainers were LG Energy Solution (+1.51%), Samsung SDI (+1.64%), KB Financial (+0.72%), and Shinhan Financial (+0.82%). In contrast, major technology names declined, with Samsung Electronics down 0.96% and SK hynix losing 0.99%, as hotter-than-expected US inflation data stoked concerns that the Federal Reserve may keep monetary policy tighter for longer. US consumer prices rose 0.3% month-on-month in October, exceeding forecasts, while Wall Street closed lower overnight, with the Dow slipping 0.3% and the Nasdaq falling 0.74%.