Seoul's KOSPI Only Flirts With the 5,000 Mark Amid Geopolitical Tensions

The South Korean stock market has staged a solid rebound, with the KOSPI advancing for three consecutive trading sessions and climbing more than 100 points or roughly 2 percent to fresh record levels. Trading just above 4,990 points, the index continues to flirt with the symbolic 5,000 threshold but hasn’t quite broken through yet. Market observers suggest the benchmark could make another push higher in the coming session, though geopolitical uncertainties are likely to keep any rally in check.

KOSPI Climbs to Fresh Records, but Remains Below the 5,000 Threshold

The KOSPI extended gains on Friday, climbing 37.54 points or 0.76 percent to close at 4,990.07, marking yet another record closing high. During the session, the index traded between 4,926.22 and 5,021.13, with total volume reaching 595.6 million shares worth 29.6 trillion won. The rally showed broad-based strength with 677 gainers outpacing 212 decliners, signaling underlying market confidence despite the benchmark’s continued flirtation with the 5,000-point level.

Tech and Financial Gains Offset Auto Sector Profit-Taking

Among the major stocks, technology and financial shares provided the primary support. SK Hynix surged 1.59 percent, while Naver skyrocketed 8.35 percent—marking one of the session’s strongest performers. In the financial sector, Shinhan Financial expanded 1.21 percent and KB Financial collected 0.67 percent. However, these gains were tempered by weakness in the automobile industry, where profit-taking emerged. Hyundai Motor plunged 3.59 percent, Kia Motors stumbled 3.40 percent, and Samsung SDI tumbled 2.99 percent. Chemical and industrial stocks showed mixed action, with LG Chem spiking 2.14 percent and POSCO Holdings rallying 2.36 percent, while utilities like KEPCO plummeted 7.27 percent.

Global Markets in Limbo: Wall Street Mixed Amid Trump’s Geopolitical Pivot

The lack of clear direction from Wall Street offered little tailwind for Asian markets. The major U.S. indexes opened lower on Friday before turning mixed and finishing flat, reflecting ongoing uncertainty. The Dow shed 285.30 points or 0.58 percent to close at 49,098.30, while the NASDAQ added 65.22 points or 0.28 percent to 23,501.24 and the S&P 500 eked out a gain of 2.26 points or 0.03 percent to end at 6,915.61. On a weekly basis, the Dow declined 0.5 percent, the S&P fell 0.4 percent, and the NASDAQ eased 0.1 percent.

The mixed performance reflected traders’ shifting focus on geopolitical developments. Earlier concerns about U.S.-Greenland tensions eased after President Trump ruled out military action and backed off tariff threats against Europe. However, this reprieve was short-lived, as fresh worries about U.S.-Iran confrontations have resurfaced, with the Trump administration positioning military assets in the Middle East.

Oil Surge Fuels Middle East Concerns as Energy Prices Jump

The heightened Middle East tensions have reverberated through commodity markets. Crude oil prices soared on Friday as supply disruption concerns intensified. West Texas Intermediate crude for March delivery climbed $1.75 or 2.95 percent to $61.11 per barrel, reflecting market anxiety over the geopolitical standoff. This energy price surge has broader implications for global equity markets, particularly those sensitive to oil price movements like the KOSPI, as investors remain cautious about how these tensions might ultimately impact economic growth and corporate earnings.

The South Korean benchmark’s inability to decisively break through 5,000 points may thus reflect this broader uncertainty—the index continues to flirt with the psychological barrier but hesitates to make a definitive push higher until global conditions clarify.