On the 6th, dealers work in the dealing room at Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul. Yonhap News Agency

Buoyed by strength in semiconductors and large-cap stocks, the KOSPI rose for a third consecutive session and crossed the 4,500 mark. Samsung Electronics reached the ‘140,000 Samsung’ level, and SK hynix topped ‘720,000 Hynix’, extending the ‘semiconductor rally’.

As of 1:44 p.m. on the 6th, the KOSPI was trading at 4,500.15, up 42.63 points (0.96%) from the previous session, setting an intraday all-time high for the third straight day. After opening lower due to profit-taking in semiconductor names, the KOSPI climbed above 4,500 as large caps in shipbuilding, defense, nuclear power, and brokerages gained, and Samsung Electronics and SK hynix also turned higher.

SK hynix was trading at 720,000 won, up 24,000 won (3.45%) from the previous session, once again surpassing the all-time high set the day before. Having slipped to as low as 671,000 won early in the session, down 25,000 won (3.59%), SK hynix turned higher in the afternoon and surged.

Samsung Electronics also rose as high as 140,200 won intraday, up 2,100 won (1.52%) from the previous session, reaching the ‘140,000 Samsung’ milestone for the first time.

Beyond semiconductors, shipbuilding stocks such as HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (6.43%) and brokerage stocks such as Mirae Asset Securities (11.18%) strengthened, supporting the index. As geopolitical tensions intensified, defense stocks advanced, and bargain hunting in secondary battery stocks also aided the index.

Foreign investors, who net-bought more than 2 trillion won the previous day, are net-selling over 900 billion won today. Individuals are net-buying about 780 billion won, and institutions around 120 billion won.