KRX activates circuit breaker on KOSPI, KOSDAQ, halting trade for 20 minutes
The screen displays the KOSPI index at a dealing room at Hana Bank's headquarters in central Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
Korea's stock exchange operator on Wednesday triggered circuit breakers on both the benchmark KOSPI and the tech-heavy KOSDAQ markets, suspending trading for 20 minutes, as the market rout continued.
After opening 3.44 percent lower, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) extended its losses, tumbling 8.1 percent to 5,322.93 as of 11:20 a.m.
The Korea Exchange (KRX) activated the circuit breakers shortly after the KOSPI fell more than 8 percent, following a 7.24 percent slide the previous session, as mounting concerns over the escalating Middle East conflict rattled investor sentiment.
The United States and Israel carried out coordinated strikes on Iran over the weekend, killing Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. U.S. President Donald Trump signaled the possibility of a prolonged military campaign.