FX.co ★ KOSPI Pulls Back on Profit Taking Following Trade Deal

The KOSPI index experienced a slight decline of 0.15%, settling at approximately 3,249 on Thursday. This dip follows a period of multiple-session highs as investors opted to secure profits after the conclusion of a trade agreement between South Korea and the United States. According to this agreement, the U.S. will apply a 15% reciprocal tariff on imports from South Korea, which is significantly less than the originally proposed 25%. Meanwhile, South Korea agreed to implement complementary tariff cuts, including lifting duties on American automobiles, agricultural goods, and certain industrial products. Furthermore, Seoul has pledged $350 billion in strategic investments, with $150 billion earmarked for the shipbuilding industry and the remainder allocated to advanced sectors such as semiconductors, secondary batteries, biotechnology, and energy. In the corporate arena, notable declines were observed in shares of Kia Corporation (-3.99%), Hyundai Motor (-2.91%), and Samsung Electronics (-1.52%), whereas early trading saw gains in Hanwha Aerospace (3.79%), SK Hynix (2.85%), and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (2.76%).