S&P 500 — US Large Cap Index
FTSE 100 — UK Blue Chips
Euro Stoxx 50 — Eurozone Leaders
DAX 40 — German Equities
CAC 40 — French Market Index
Nikkei 225 — Japan Benchmark
Hang Seng — Hong Kong Index
Shanghai Composite — China Mainland
ASX 200 — Australian Market
TSX Composite — Canada Index
Nifty 50 — India Large Cap
STI Index — Singapore Market
KOSPI — South Korea Index
Bovespa — Brazil Equities
JSE Top 40 — South Africa Index
IPC Index — Mexico Market
The benchmark KOSPI rose more than 3% to around 6,800 on Monday, rebounding from the previous session to set a fresh record, driven by strong semiconductor-led domestic growth and easing Middle East supply concerns. South Korea’s factory activity expanded at its fastest pace in more than four years in April, with the S&P Global manufacturing PMI rising to 53.6 as semiconductor demand boosted output and new orders. Samsung Electronics (1.9%) and SK hynix (5.7%) advanced, as optimism around AI-linked memory demand continued to lift valuations across the technology sector. Notable gains were also seen in SK Square (13.3%), Hanwha Aerospace (3.9%), and Hyundai Motor (1.9%). Broader risk appetite improved after US efforts to ease shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz helped lower oil prices and reduce immediate pressure on South Korea’s energy import costs. Still, geopolitical uncertainty persisted as rising raw material prices pushed factory input cost inflation to a record high.
