The benchmark KOSPI surged more than 2% to around 5,475 on Friday, rebounding from the previous session’s losses as robust gains in technology stocks lifted investor sentiment. Index heavyweights Samsung Electronics (2.64%) and SK Hynix (2.79%) led the rally. Samsung advanced on reports it is in talks to acquire US‑listed Modine Manufacturing, a data center cooling systems provider, in a move that could strengthen its position in the AI infrastructure market. Other notable gainers included Shinhan Financial (5.41%), KB Financial (3.89%), and Hyundai Motor (2.93%).
The advance in Seoul came despite overnight weakness on Wall Street, where the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq declined 0.36%, 0.35%, and 0.39%, respectively. At the same time, reports that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang would step down, with CFO Colette Kress named interim CEO, stirred uncertainty about the outlook for the global AI ecosystem.
