South Korea’s regular market session ended on July 29, 2026, with both the KOSPI and KOSDAQ plunging about 6%. All tracked stocks also declined, with SK hynix and SK Square falling more sharply than the indexes, while Hyundai Motor posted a relatively smaller loss, highlighting differences among individual stocks.

Both Indexes Rebound From Intraday Lows but Close Sharply Lower

Index July 29, 2026 Close July 29, 2026 Change
KOSPI 5,663.24 points -360.42 points (-5.98%)
KOSDAQ 662.68 points -43.17 points (-6.12%)

The KOSPI closed the regular session on July 29, 2026, at 5,663.24 points, down 360.42 points, or 5.98%. It opened at 6,089.11 points, reached an intraday high of 6,228.52 points and an intraday low of 5,262.77 points. The closing level was 400.47 points above the intraday low but 425.87 points below the opening level. The intraday range between the high and low reached 965.75 points. KOSPI closing data

The KOSDAQ closed the same trading day, July 29, 2026, at 662.68 points, down 43.17 points, or 6.12%. It opened at 713.71 points, reached an intraday high of 719.39 points and an intraday low of 630.99 points. The index recovered 31.69 points from its intraday low but closed 51.03 points below its opening level. The difference between the intraday high and low was 88.40 points. KOSDAQ closing data

Based solely on their closing levels, the KOSDAQ’s percentage decline was 0.14 percentage points greater than the KOSPI’s. However, both indexes closed above their intraday lows, indicating that their losses narrowed somewhat late in the regular session. This is an editorial interpretation based on the relationship among the closing, opening, high and low levels; it does not identify who drove the rebound or what caused it.

SK hynix and SK Square Fall More Sharply Than the Indexes

SK hynix closed the regular session on July 29, 2026, at 1,401,000 won, down 149,000 won, or 9.61%. This was the largest percentage decline among the tracked stocks. It opened at 1,567,000 won, reached a high of 1,619,000 won and a low of 1,246,000 won, with trading volume of 12,428,883 shares. The closing price was 155,000 won above the low but 166,000 won below the opening price. SK hynix closing data Previous analysis of the stock is available in the SK hynix stock hub.

SK Square also closed on July 29, 2026, at 850,000 won, down 75,000 won, or 8.11%. It opened at 933,000 won, reached a high of 967,000 won and a low of 768,000 won, with trading volume of 1,293,266 shares. Compared with the KOSPI’s 5.98% decline, SK Square’s loss was 2.13 percentage points greater. SK Square closing data Related analysis is available in the SK Square stock hub.

Samsung Electronics closed on July 29, 2026, at 208,500 won, down 11,500 won, or 5.23%. It opened at 226,500 won, reached a high of 234,000 won and a low of 189,200 won, with trading volume of 65,555,523 shares. Its percentage decline was 0.75 percentage points smaller than the KOSPI’s, but it recorded a wide intraday price range alongside SK hynix that day. Samsung Electronics closing data Previous analysis is compiled in the Samsung Electronics stock hub.

The fact that all three stocks fell on the same day is not enough to conclude that semiconductor-related developments or changes in equity-stake values caused the market decline. The closing data show only the relative moves: SK hynix and SK Square fell more sharply than both indexes, while Samsung Electronics declined somewhat less than the KOSPI.

Hyundai Motor Declines, but Its Relative Loss Is Limited

Hyundai Motor closed on July 29, 2026, at 353,500 won, down 10,500 won, or 2.88%. It opened at 369,500 won, reached a high of 382,000 won and a low of 338,500 won, with trading volume of 1,566,493 shares. The closing price was 15,000 won above the intraday low and 16,000 won below the opening price. Hyundai Motor closing data

Hyundai Motor also declined in absolute terms, but its percentage loss was 3.10 percentage points smaller than the KOSPI’s and 3.24 percentage points smaller than the KOSDAQ’s. Among the tracked stocks, its decline was also 6.73 percentage points smaller than SK hynix’s and 5.23 percentage points smaller than SK Square’s. Based on the July 29, 2026 closing prices, it is therefore more accurate to classify Hyundai Motor not as a stock that rose despite the market plunge, but as one that posted a relatively smaller loss during a declining market. Longer-term trends for the stock are available in the Hyundai Motor stock hub.

Reports highlighted that sell-sidecars and circuit breakers were triggered on both the KOSPI and KOSDAQ for a second consecutive day as a key feature of the sharp selloff. This reporting describes the extreme volatility during trading and does not present a single cause for the index declines. Original Yonhap News TV report Yonhap News also reported that the KOSPI closed below 6,000 points and fell by more than 1,000 points over two days. Original Yonhap News report

Meanwhile, reports on the New York market on July 28, 2026, local time, said US stocks closed mixed as improved investor sentiment following a decline in international oil prices coincided with a pullback in semiconductor stocks. This is an interpretation from an article about the overseas market backdrop immediately preceding South Korea’s regular session. Closing data alone cannot establish that those developments directly caused the South Korean market’s plunge on July 29, 2026. Original report on the New York market

Three Items to Watch in the Next Regular Session

  • It will be important to see where the KOSPI establishes a level between its July 29, 2026 close of 5,663.24 points and its intraday low of 5,262.77 points. Rather than assuming a direction in advance, the key is whether the price range narrows after the plunge.

  • Investors should watch whether SK hynix’s July 29, 2026 close of 1,401,000 won and Samsung Electronics’ closing price of 208,500 won that day continue to reflect the volatility in semiconductor stocks that exceeded that of both indexes. The two stocks moving together is not enough to establish a cause for the entire sector.

  • It will be important to compare whether Hyundai Motor’s 2.88% decline on July 29, 2026 represented temporary relative strength and whether SK Square’s 8.11% decline that day narrows toward the index level. This is not a basis for a buy or sell decision, but a benchmark for assessing whether the difference in losses among the stocks persists.