South Korea's benchmark Kospi index surpassed the 5500-point mark for the first time during midday trading on Thursday, building on its breach of 5000 in late January. The surge was driven by sharp gains in blue-chip tech stocks like Samsung Electronics. Investors are watching U.S. Federal Reserve policy amid mixed reactions to strong U.S. jobs data.
In Seoul on Thursday, February 11, the Kospi index climbed 157.13 points, or 2.93 percent, to 5,511.62 as of 10:59 a.m., crossing the 5,500-point threshold for the first time since surpassing 5,000 in late January. It briefly dipped just below that level by 11:20 a.m.
Semiconductor stocks led the gains, with Samsung Electronics rising 6.08 percent and SK hynix advancing 3.26 percent. Battery maker LG Energy Solution gained 3.95 percent, while AI investment firm SK Square jumped 6.2 percent.
Financial shares also performed well, as Shinhan Financial rose 4.56 percent and Hana Financial increased 1.43 percent. However, auto giant Hyundai Motor fell 0.39 percent, power plant manufacturer Doosan Enerbility declined 2.09 percent, and major biotech firm Celltrion dropped 3.13 percent.
Overnight, major U.S. indexes closed slightly lower amid mixed investor reactions to a stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs report, which suggested a solid economy and raised expectations that the Federal Reserve might hold interest rates steady. Investors now await Friday's U.S. consumer prices data for further insights into the Fed's monetary policy direction.
