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Screens in a Seoul dealing room show the KOSPI at 6,384.24, down 3.65%.
Photo: The Korea Times

KOSPI Falls 3.65% as Foreign Selling Hits Chip Stocks

The Korea Times2 min read6 sources

Why is the KOSPI down today?

KOSPI (^KS11) fell 3.65% on Monday to 6,384 as foreigners sold chipmakers Samsung and SK Hynix, amid oil-driven inflation worries and doubts that the AI chip boom can last.

Key numbers

KOSPI close6,384.24-3.65%
Samsung Electronics250,500 won-4.39%
SK Hynix1.605M won-4.52%
Foreign net selling2.02T won10th straight session
Samsung Q3 operating profit107.4T won+783% YoY
Brent crude (per [5])$102.91-1.73%

What happened

KOSPI (^KS11) fell 3.65% on Monday to 6,384 as foreigners sold chipmakers Samsung and SK Hynix, amid oil-driven inflation worries and doubts that the AI chip boom can last. Samsung fell 4.4% and SK Hynix 4.5%, just days after Samsung reported a record quarterly operating profit of 107.4 trillion won (about $80 billion). Foreign investors sold a net 2.02 trillion won of shares, their tenth straight day of selling. Oil sits above $100 a barrel after Gulf attacks, and a report that OpenAI's revenue is $20 billion lower than estimated fed AI worries.

Why it matters

KOSPI's drop shows how much South Korea's stock market depends on two memory-chip makers, Samsung and SK Hynix, whose chips power AI data centers. Even record profits did not calm investors, who are unsure the boom will last. Foreign investors have sold nearly 10 trillion won this month, and higher oil prices and U.S. borrowing costs make riskier bets less appealing.

Who this affects

Marketbearish
High impact
Korean stock holders hit hard as foreigners keep selling.
Companybearish
Medium impact
Samsung and SK Hynix shareholders lost over 4% in one day.
Competitorsmixed
Low impact
TSMC slipped only 0.39%, far less than Korean rivals.
Industrybearish
Medium impact
Chip sector faces doubts about how long AI demand lasts.

Samsung Electronics vs SK Hynix, TSMC

Samsung Electronics005930.KS250,500 won-4.39%
SK Hynix000660.KS1,605,000 won-4.52%
TSMC2330.TWNT$2,540 (per [4])-0.39%

As of 2026-10-12

How we got here

  1. Samsung reports record Q3 operating profit of 107.4 trillion won.

  2. U.S. chip index falls 3.77% after report OpenAI revenue trails estimates by $20B (per); Seoul closed for holiday.

  3. KOSPI falls 3.65% to 6,384, fourth straight loss and worst day since September 2.

What to watch

  • U.S. September inflation report could move Treasury yields, now near 5.24%, and chip stocks.2026-10-14
  • ASML and TSMC earnings give fresh readings on AI chip demand.Week of 2026-10-12
  • SK Hynix reports results on Oct. 27; Samsung holds its earnings call on Oct. 29.2026-10-27

Educational content only. Not investment advice.

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