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Kospi opens sharply higher as investors go bargain hunting

Published: 09 Feb. 2026, 10:01

This photo taken Feb. 9 shows the dealing room of Hana Bank in central Seoul. [YONHAP]

Korean stocks opened sharply higher Monday as investors apparently went bargain hunting after technology shares tumbled last week on renewed concerns over the profitability of AI firms.

The benchmark Kospi shot up 208.9 points, or 4.1 percent, to 5,298.04 in the first 15 minutes of trading.

Korean shares traded in negative territory late last week after global investors off-loaded technology stocks on Wall Street amid concerns over an AI bubble. U.S. shares later rebounded to close higher on Friday as investors hunted for bargains.

In Seoul, top market cap Samsung Electronics soared 5.74 percent, and SK hynix shot up 5.84 percent.

Financial firms opened higher as well, with KB Financial rising 0.6 percent, and Shinhan Financial moving up 1.6 percent.

Leading carmaker Hyundai Motor gained 1.71 percent, and its sister Kia added 0.72 percent. Top defense firm Hanwha Aerospace jumped 5.84 percent.

Top trading firm Samsung C&T opened 6.22 percent higher, and Posco International rose 0.31 percent.

The local currency rose 9.8 won from the previous session to trade at 1,459.7 won against the greenback as of 9:15 a.m.

Yonhap