The benchmark KOSPI rose 1.20% to around 5,915 on Tuesday, extending its rally to a fresh record high, driven by strong performances in the technology and pharmaceutical sectors. Semiconductor heavyweights Samsung Electronics (+0.47%) and SK Hynix (+0.63%) provided notable support, while pharmaceutical shares led sector gains, with Celltrion (+2.78%) and Samsung Biologics (+0.87%) advancing firmly.
Market optimism was reinforced by solid macroeconomic data. South Korea’s business sentiment turned positive for March, with the business survey index rising to 102.7. Producer prices also increased for a fifth straight month in January, as the PPI climbed 1.9% year-on-year.
However, uncertainty grew following a US Supreme Court ruling on reciprocal tariffs, after which the Trump administration swiftly implemented a global 10% surcharge, enabling levies of up to 15% for a period of 150 days.
