Why did Seoul stocks open lower despite gains on Wall Street?

Investors were sitting on the sidelines ahead of the Jackson Hole meeting, which was expected to offer clues on Federal Reserve rate policy. The market also opened weak even though U.S. stocks had risen overnight on tech strength.

How much did the KOSPI fall at the open on Friday in Seoul?

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index opened down 65.83 points, or 0.95 percent, to 6,846.54 as of 9:15 a.m. The won was trading at 1,380.7 won against the U.S. dollar, up 0.8 won from the previous session.

Which large-cap stocks moved most in early Seoul trading?

Samsung Electronics fell 1.5 percent and SK hynix retreated 1.79 percent. Samsung Biologics dropped 5.9 percent after its announcement to raise additional capital through a rights offering, while Hanwha Aerospace and KB Financial also traded lower.

Seoul stocks open lower despite US rally

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Summary

Seoul stocks opened lower Friday, with the benchmark KOSPI falling 65.83 points, or 0.95 percent, to 6,846.54 at 9:15 a.m. Investors were waiting for the Jackson Hole symposium for clues on Federal Reserve rate policy. Wall Street had closed higher overnight, led by tech gains and Nvidia’s post-earnings surge.

Key Facts

The S&P 500 rose 0.72 percent and the Nasdaq gained 1.57 percent overnight on Wall Street.
Fed Chair Kevin Warsh was set to deliver his first major speech as chairman at the Jackson Hole symposium later in the day.
Samsung Biologics fell 5.9 percent after announcing a rights offering to raise additional capital.
The Korean won was quoted at 1,380.7 won against the U.S. dollar, up 0.8 won from the previous stock trading session.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 28, 2026 9:13 am KST
Updated Aug 28, 2026 9:48 am KST

Financial data is displayed at the dealing room of Hana Bank in central Seoul, Friday. Yonhap

Seoul stocks opened lower Friday, bucking overnight gains on Wall Street, while investors sat on the sidelines ahead of the Jackson Hall meeting set to provide clues on the Federal Reserve's rate policy.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) opened down 65.83 points, or 0.95 percent, to 6,846.54 as of 9:15 a.m.

Overnight, major stock indexes on Wall Street closed higher, with the S&P 500 adding 0.72 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq jumping 1.57 percent.

The U.S. market was mainly led by tech companies related to artificial intelligence (AI), including Nvidia, which sharply rose following its forecast-beating earnings.

Fed Chair Kevin Warsh is set to deliver his first major speech as chairman of the central bank later in the day at the Jackson Hole symposium.

"Market watchers are closely following whether the KOSPI could land above 7,000 points, but fortunately, there is a lot of upward momentum in terms of valuation piling up," said Han Ji-young, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities.

In Seoul, most large cap shares were trading lower.

Market bellwether Samsung Electronics dipped 1.5 percent, while industry rival SK hynix retreated 1.79 percent.

Bio firm Samsung Biologics fell 5.9 percent on its announcement to raise additional capital through a rights offering.

Defense giant Hanwha Aerospace declined 1.48 percent, financial firm KB Financial inched down 0.89 percent, and shipper HD Hyundai Heavy Industries added 0.96 percent.

The Korean won was quoted at 1,380.7 won against the U.S. dollar, up 0.8 won from the close of the previous stock trading session.

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