The benchmark KOSPI advanced by 1.2% to around 4,010 on Thursday, extending its upward momentum as investors tracked another round of gains on Wall Street. Hopes for a near-term US rate cut strengthened after major US indexes rallied overnight, lifting overall risk appetite across Asia and helping the KOSPI reclaim the 4,000 level. Tech-driven sentiment provided the main support, with Samsung Electronics and SK hynix tracking firm semiconductor gains in the US and Japan. SK Hynix climbed 4.6%, Samsung Electronics rose 1.5%, LG Energy Solution picked up 0.8%, Samsung Biologics gained 1.2%, Doosan Enerbility increased 1.5%, Hanwha Aerospace added 0.2%, and SK Square advanced 4.3%. Additionally, the Bank of Korea kept its policy rate unchanged at 2.5%, offering a stable domestic backdrop to support financial stability amid a weakened currency and ongoing housing market concerns.
