South Korean shares snap 4-week rally on US tariff woes; won drops

Published on 09/26/2025 at 02:55 am EDT

• KOSPI falls, foreigners net sellers
• Korean won weakens against dollar
• South Korea benchmark bond yield rises

(Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets:
** South Korean shares dropped more than 2% on Friday and posted their first weekly decline in five, as uncertainty heightened over trade talks with Washington.
** The won hit its weakest level in more than four months, while the benchmark bond yield rose to its highest since mid-March.
** The benchmark KOSPI closed down 85.06 points, or 2.45%, at 3,386.05, marking its biggest daily percentage fall since August 1.
** The KOSPI ended the week down 1.72%.
** South Korea's trade talks with the Trump administration have become increasingly dogged by political doubts this week.
** "The domestic market underperformed the broader Asian market on signs of trade talks prolonging," said Lee Kyoung-min, an analyst at Daishin Securities.
** South Korea's president vowed to open its currency market for around-the-clock trading, giving easier access to foreign investors as the country seeks to boost the domestic stock market and as stalled U.S. trade talks weigh on the won.
** Drugmaker Samsung BioLogics fell 2.15%, after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 100% tariff on imports of pharmaceutical products. Peer Celltrion, however, rose 0.06%, as it has already acquired a U.S. production facility.
** Among other index heavyweights, chipmaker Samsung Electronics fell 3.25%, while peer SK Hynix lost 5.61%. Battery maker LG Energy Solution slid 3.46%.
** Hyundai Motor and sister automaker Kia Corp were down 1.15% and down 1.76%, respectively. Steelmaker POSCO Holdings shed 2.14%.
** Foreigners were net sellers of shares worth 661.0 billion won ($467.79 million).
** The won was quoted 0.22% lower at 1,412.4 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform, after hitting its weakest level since mid-May at 1,414.0.
** The most liquid three-year Korean treasury bond yield rose by 4.8 basis points to 2.579%, while the benchmark 10-year yield rose by 9.4 basis points to 2.954%. ($1 = 1,413.0200 won)
 (Reporting by Jihoon Lee; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu) 

Sumber : Reuters