Overview
- The benchmark rose 0.49% to 4,909.93 on Jan. 21, topping the prior record 4,904.66 set two days earlier after a brief pullback.
- Hyundai Motor surged 14.6% with Kia up 5.0%, while Samsung Electronics gained 3.0% and SK hynix slipped 0.4%.
- Foreign investors were net buyers on the day, individuals were net sellers and institutions also bought; the won strengthened to 1,471.3 per dollar.
- Market gains remain concentrated in large caps, with Korea Exchange data showing the large-cap index far outpacing mid- and small-cap benchmarks this month.
- Bank demand deposits have fallen by about 35.4 trillion won this month as cash shifts into brokerage accounts, while the Korea Exchange chief vowed faster delistings of unprofitable firms and voiced confidence about higher index levels.