FX.co ★ South Korean Shares Close Higher

The benchmark KOSPI inched up 0.30% to close at 5,550 on Friday, staging a modest rebound from the previous session’s sharp decline as investors moved back into oversold semiconductor shares. SK hynix climbed 4.42%, while Samsung Electronics added 0.47%, supported by gains in SK Square (3.20%) and Samsung Biologics (7.71%). Retail investors also turned net buyers, suggesting a tentative shift in sentiment after the recent heavy selloff. Even so, persistent worries about the returns on large-scale AI-related investments, coupled with overnight losses in major US technology names, capped the upside. Declines in LG Energy Solution (-1.79%), Hyundai Motor (-1.99%), and KB Financial Group (-3.29%) further pressured the index, underscoring the uneven performance among blue-chip stocks. Meanwhile, elevated oil prices amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East continued to pose a risk, as higher energy costs could fuel inflation and push up operating expenses.