Why were Seoul stocks rising before Nvidia earnings on Wednesday?

Chipmakers led the rebound as investors watched Nvidia’s upcoming earnings release. Wall Street also ended higher overnight on a chip rebound, while lower global oil prices and U.S. Treasury yields eased some pressure on investors.

How did Samsung Electronics and SK hynix perform in morning trade?

Samsung Electronics gained 2.14 percent and SK hynix advanced 1.85 percent. Their gains helped lift the broader market after an initially weak start.

What happened to the KOSPI and the won in early Wednesday trading?

The KOSPI climbed 61 points, or 0.9 percent, to 6,803.74 by 9:15 a.m. The won traded at 1,382.4 per dollar, strengthening 0.3 won from the previous session.

Seoul stocks turn higher after weak start ahead of Nvidia earnings

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Summary

Seoul stocks turned higher Wednesday after a weak start, led by gains in chipmakers ahead of Nvidia’s earnings release. The benchmark KOSPI rose 61 points, or 0.9 percent, to 6,803.74 as of 9:15 a.m. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix advanced, while Hyundai Motor, LG Energy Solution and Hanwha Aerospace fell. The won was trading at 1,382.4 per dollar, up 0.3 won from the previous session.

Key Facts

The KOSPI was up 61 points, or 0.9 percent, at 6,803.74 as of 9:15 a.m. Wednesday.
Samsung Electronics rose 2.14 percent and SK hynix gained 1.85 percent.
Hyundai Motor fell 0.24 percent, LG Energy Solution dropped 1.29 percent, and Hanwha Aerospace declined 3.54 percent.
The Korean won traded at 1,382.4 won against the U.S. dollar, up 0.3 won from the previous trading session.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 26, 2026 9:29 am KST
Updated Aug 26, 2026 9:40 am KST

An electronic board at Hana Bank headquarters in central Seoul shows the benchmark KOSPI indices, Wednesday. Yonhap

Seoul stocks turned higher after a weak start Wednesday on gains in chipmakers ahead of the earnings release from U.S. chip giant Nvidia.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price (KOSPI) was up 61 points, or 0.9 percent, to 6,803.74 as of 9:15 a.m.

Overnight, major stocks indexes on Wall Street closed higher on a chip rebound, while a drop in global oil prices and U.S. Treasury yields offered some sense of relief to investors.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq closed 0.66 percent higher, while the S&P500 added 0.32 percent.

Investors are closely following the upcoming earnings release from Nvidia, which will affect not only the company's share price but also valuations across the artificial intelligence (AI) industry.

Market top caps were trading mixed.

Samsung Electronics added 2.14 percent, while its industry rival SK hynix advanced 1.85 percent.

In contrast, carmaker Hyundai Motor slid 0.24 percent, battery maker LG Energy Solution shed 1.29 percent, and defense giant Hanwha Aerospace declined 3.54 percent.

The Korean won was trading at 1,382.4 won against the U.S. dollar, up 0.3 won from the previous trading session.

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