Dec 8, 2025 – KOSPI gains 1.34 % to 4,154.85 ahead of the two‑day U.S. Federal Open Market Committee meeting, with traders pricing in a likely 0.25‑point rate cut and watching Oracle and Broadcom earnings; foreign investors buy 321.3 bn won while locals sell, and LG Energy Solution jumps 5.99 % on a Mercedes‑Benz supply deal [30].

Dec 15, 2025 – KOSPI falls 1.84 % to 4,090.59 as AI‑profitability worries intensify after the December FOMC meeting, with Samsung down 3.76 % and SK hynix down 2.98 %; the won strengthens to 1,471 per $, and three‑year yields drop to 3.00 % [29].

Dec 16, 2025 – KOSPI closes below 4,000 at 3,999.13, slipping 2.24 % while investors await U.S. November payroll data; defensive stocks like KT&G rise, and analyst Lee Kyoung‑min of Daishin Securities warns that AI sector risks heighten volatility [28].

Dec 17, 2025 – KOSPI opens 1.33 % lower at 4,002.6 as renewed AI valuation fears follow Oracle’s data‑center funding pull‑out; the won strengthens to 1,478.5 per $ and U.S. indices retreat on AI concerns [27].

Dec 18, 2025 – KOSPI drops 1.53 % to 3,994.5 amid Oracle data‑center worries and AI profitability doubts; Lee Kyoung‑min of Daishin Securities notes that Micron’s earnings surprise helps limit the decline, while the won trades at 1,478.3 per $ [26].

Jan 2, 2026 – KOSPI closes at an all‑time high of 4,309.63, up 2.27 %, driven by a chip rally with Samsung up 7.17 % and SK hynix up 3.99 %; foreign investors net buy 644.68 bn won and 2025 exports hit a record $709.7 bn, bolstering optimism [25].

Jan 6, 2026 – KOSPI breaks the 4,500 barrier, closing at 4,525.48 as semiconductor, brokerage and shipbuilding stocks lead gains; retail investors buy 597.55 bn won while foreigners sell, and the won weakens to 1,445.5 per $ [22][23][24].

Jan 7, 2026 (morning) – KOSPI opens sharply higher, jumping 69.37 points to 4,594.85, with Samsung and SK hynix leading a tech‑driven surge and the won easing to 1,448.6 per $ [21].

Jan 7, 2026 (session) – KOSPI closes at a record 4,551.06 after briefly topping 4,600, propelled by Samsung, SK hynix and a 13.8 % Hyundai Motor surge following Boston Dynamics’ Atlas demo at CES; foreign investors net buy 1.25 tn won despite mixed sector moves [20][21].

Jan 9, 2026 – KOSPI hits a fresh record near 4,600, closing at 4,586.32 with strong auto, defense and shipbuilding gains, while foreign investors continue net selling and the U.S. Dow falls 0.94 % ahead of earnings season [19].

Jan 16, 2026 – KOSPI closes at a record 4,840.74, extending an 11‑session rally as semiconductor stocks lift the market, market cap surpasses 4,000 trn won, and foreign and institutional investors buy while retail sells [18].

Jan 19, 2026 – KOSPI sets a new record close of 4,904.66, the first time above 4,900, after a 12‑session rally and a volatile session triggered by Trump’s Greenland tariff threat; the index also hits an intraday high of 4,917.37 [17].

Jan 22, 2026 – KOSPI briefly tops 5,000 intraday, crossing the milestone at 9:01 a.m. following a 12‑session rally and a U.S. market gain after Trump retracts Greenland‑related tariffs on European nations [16].

Jan 26, 2026 (morning) – KOSPI drops 0.48 % to 4,966.03 amid rising Iran unrest concerns and a pending U.S. intervention; the won strengthens to 1,441.5 per $, and investors watch the upcoming Federal Reserve rate decision later in the week [15].

Jan 26, 2026 (later) – KOSPI falls 0.81 % to 4,949.59 as investors await the Fed’s rate announcement and heightened U.S.–Iran tensions; the KOSDAQ surges over 7 % to breach 1,000 points, while analysts cite upcoming chip‑roadmap calls and HBM4 expectations (Han Ji‑young) [14].

Jan 27, 2026 (early) – President Trump announces a plan to raise U.S. tariffs on Korean autos and other goods to 25 %, prompting the KOSPI to slide 0.84 % to 4,908.20, with Hyundai and Kia falling sharply and the won weakening to 1,449.4 per $ [13].

Jan 27, 2026 (close) – Despite the tariff warning, KOSPI closes above 5,000 at 5,084.85, driven by record highs in Samsung and SK hynix and a 2.73 % gain; foreign investors net buy 850 bn won while retail sells, and bond yields ease [12].

Jan 28, 2026 – KOSPI jumps 1.65 % to 5,168.72 after President Trump pledges to “work something out” on a trade deal, easing tariff fears; Samsung and SK hynix lead gains ahead of earnings, and the won strengthens to 1,433.5 per $ [11].

Jan 29, 2026 – KOSPI reaches 5,221.25, extending a three‑day winning streak on strong earnings from major firms; Samsung slips slightly while SK hynix hits a record, and the KOSDAQ climbs over 20 % since Dec 30 as the government urges public‑fund support for startups [10].

Feb 2, 2026 – KOSPI plunges 5.26 % to 4,949.67, triggering a sell‑side circuit breaker after the Federal Reserve chair nomination fuels market anxiety and gold and silver prices crash; financial stocks like Hana Financial rise, while the won weakens to 1,464.3 per $ [9].

Feb 3, 2026 (opening) – KOSPI breaks 5,600, reaching 5,660.26 in early trade on AI optimism after the Lunar New Year holiday, with domestic investors net buying and foreign sellers offsetting; the won trades at 1,452.5 per $ [4].

Feb 3, 2026 (mid‑day) – KOSPI jumps 4.68 % to 5,181.41, prompting a five‑minute buy‑side circuit breaker; Samsung and SK hynix lead large‑cap gains, the won strengthens to 1,448.8 per $, and investors monitor the Fed chair nomination and trade tensions [8].

Feb 4, 2026 – KOSPI climbs 0.23 % to 5,300.37 in early trade despite U.S. market weakness from AI software worries; Anthropic’s Claude upgrades spark sector speculation, and the won weakens to 1,453 per $ [6].

Feb 6, 2026 – KOSPI falls 1.61 % to 5,080.56 as tech giants slide on AI profitability concerns, while Netmarble surges 12.6 % after record Q4 2025 sales; the won edges higher to 1,467.9 per $ [5].

Feb 19, 2026 (opening) – KOSPI breaks 5,600, closing at 5,677.25, driven by AI‑related chip makers with Samsung up 4.86 % and broad sector rally; Kiwoom analyst Lee Sung‑hoon expects chip momentum to continue on upcoming Nvidia and Broadcom AI earnings and a pending commercial‑law revision [3].

Feb 19, 2026 (later) – KOSPI opens above 5,700 at 5,723.11, up 0.81 %, as optimism around AI and large‑cap tech outweighs U.S. market losses from Iran‑U.S. tensions; sector leaders like Doosan Enerbility and Hanwha Aerospace surge, while the won weakens to 1,450.95 per $ [2].

Feb 20, 2026 (closing) – KOSPI hits an all‑time high of 5,803.53, up 2.31 % on record volume, as institutional buying outweighs foreign and retail selling; chip and defense stocks lead gains, the won slips to 1,446.65, and analyst Kim Seok‑hwan notes that despite heightened U.S.–Iran tensions after Trump’s remarks, Korean investors remain hopeful about government and corporate measures to boost shareholder returns [1].