FX.co ★ South Korean Shares Hit One-Month Low

The benchmark KOSPI fell nearly 1% to around 7,590 on Wednesday, marking its lowest level in a month, as a broad sell-off in semiconductor stocks tracked overnight losses on Wall Street. Chipmakers came under pressure after investors questioned the durability of the AI-driven capital expenditure boom, despite Samsung Electronics’ solid quarterly results, pulling global semiconductor shares lower. Sentiment was further weighed by escalating tensions in the Middle East, which pushed up oil prices and eroded global risk appetite following fresh US strikes on Iran and attacks near the Strait of Hormuz. Declines were led by Samsung Electronics (-0.9%), LG Energy Solution (-2.8%), HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (-4.2%), Hanwha Aerospace (-6.0%), and Doosan Enerbility (-3.9%). Meanwhile, South Korean authorities said they would closely monitor risks to market stability, as heightened volatility in heavyweight chip stocks and single-stock leveraged ETFs continued to drive sharp swings in the broader market.