The benchmark KOSPI climbed more than 2% to around 5,900 on Friday, rebounding from the prior session as optimism over upcoming US–Iran talks lifted risk appetite. The rally tracked gains in global equities, with tech sentiment improving after CoreWeave secured a $21 billion deal with Meta Platforms. The agreement underscored robust demand for AI infrastructure and bolstered South Korean stocks, a key bellwether for the AI theme.
Wall Street’s tech-driven advance supported semiconductor shares, with Samsung Electronics up 2.5% and SK hynix rising 3.5% among the leading gainers, alongside Hanwha Aerospace, SK Square, and KB Financial Group. Risk sentiment also brightened on news of a fragile ceasefire, although vulnerabilities remained, as continued restrictions on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz kept oil prices near $100 per barrel. That sustained inflation concerns for South Korea’s import-reliant economy.
Upside was limited by persistent foreign outflows. Overseas investors logged a third consecutive month of net selling in March, reaching a record level and highlighting lingering caution toward Korean assets amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.
