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Kospi breaks 5,400 as U.S. jobs report raises hopes on interest rate stability

Published: 12 Feb. 2026, 10:25

A dealing room at Hana Bank in Seoul on Feb. 12 [YONHAP]

Korean bourse Kospi broke another record to pass the 5,400 mark on Thursday, as a better-than-expected U.S. unemployment report for January boosted prospects that the Federal Reserve may keep interest rates unchanged.

The Kospi added 62.74 points, or 1.17 percent, to 5,417.23 in the first 15 minutes of trading on Thursday morning.

Overnight, major U.S. indexes closed slightly lower as investors showed a mixed reaction to the stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs report, which raised hopes the U.S. economy would remain solid and that the Federal Reserve may keep its interest rates unchanged.

Investors are now waiting for U.S. consumer prices data set to be released Friday, which will give further clues on the Fed's monetary policy direction.

In Seoul, semiconductor heavyweights Samsung Electronics and SK hynix started bullish, gaining 1.85 percent and 2.56 percent, respectively. AI investment firm SK Square jumped 4.7 percent.

Shipbuilding and financial shares also opened stronger. Major shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy climbed 2.23 percent and its rival Hanwha Ocean rose 0.69 percent. Shinhan Financial advanced 2.87 percent and Hana Financial increased 1.75 percent.

On the other hand, auto giant Hyundai Motor started 1.38 percent lower, and power plant manufacturer Doosan Enerbility shed 2.72 percent. Bio firm Celltrion lost 2.09 percent after rallying the previous day.

The won fell by 0.5 won from the previous session to trade at 1,450.6 won against the U.S. dollar as of 9:15 a.m.

BY YOON SO-YEON, YONHAP [[email protected]]