South Korean shares fell on Friday, putting the benchmark KOSPI on track for a second consecutive weekly decline as enthusiasm surrounding the artificial intelligence trade faded and investors turned cautious ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s annual Jackson Hole symposium.
The KOSPI was down 74.15 points, or 1.07%, at 6,838.22 as of 02:09 GMT. The index was set to end the week about 1% lower.
According to Reuters, the retreat followed a weakening of the recent AI-driven rally despite strong results from Nvidia. The US chipmaker reported second-quarter revenue of $96.22 billion, more than double from a year earlier and above analysts’ estimates of $92.17 billion.
Investors were also awaiting remarks and signals from the Fed’s Jackson Hole gathering in Wyoming. According to Reuters, Federal Reserve officials had expressed continued concerns about the US inflation outlook on Thursday, keeping markets cautious about the path of interest rates.
Chip stocks lead decline
Technology stocks were among the biggest drags on the South Korean market. Samsung Electronics fell 2.26%, while SK Hynix declined 1.45%. Battery maker LG Energy Solution dropped 0.81%.
Among other major companies, Hyundai Motor gained 0.25% and Kia rose 0.63%. POSCO Holdings fell 1.62%, while Samsung BioLogics slid 4.74%.
Of the 909 stocks traded, 382 advanced and 479 declined. Foreign investors were net sellers, offloading shares worth 519.9 billion won ($377.22 million), Reuters reported.
Despite Friday’s decline, the KOSPI remains up 62.27% so far this year.
Won strengthens, bond yields rise
The South Korean won strengthened 0.30% to 1,377.4 per dollar from Thursday’s close of 1,381.5. The currency has gained 4.5% against the US dollar so far this year.
In the bond market, September futures on three-year Treasury bonds fell 0.13 points to 103.38.
The yield on the most liquid three-year South Korean government bond rose 3.3 basis points to 3.787%, while the benchmark 10-year yield increased 4.6 basis points to 4.298%, according to Reuters.
