In South Korea’s regular trading session on August 7, 2026, the KOSPI and KOSDAQ opened higher but closed down 0.60% and 0.36%, respectively. Among the stocks tracked, SK hynix and SK Square fell more sharply than the index, while Samsung Electronics moved against the broader market with a 0.22% gain. Final investor flow data showed that foreign investors were net sellers of KRW 859 billion, while institutions and retail investors were net buyers.

KOSPI and KOSDAQ Fail to Hold Opening Gains

Index August 7, 2026 Close August 7, 2026 Change
KOSPI 6,258.77 points -37.61 points (-0.60%)
KOSDAQ 798.81 points -2.86 points (-0.36%)

The KOSPI ended the regular session on August 7, 2026, at 6,258.77 points, down 37.61 points, or 0.60%, from the previous trading day. That day’s opening level was 6,365.07 points, the high was 6,415.60 points, and the low was 6,158.73 points. The index closed 106.30 points below its opening level but 100.04 points above its low. The gap between the August 7, 2026 high and low was 256.87 points, showing a price path in which the index opened higher, reached its low, and then recovered part of its losses. KOSPI closing data

The KOSDAQ ended the regular session on August 7, 2026, at 798.81 points, down 2.86 points, or 0.36%, from the previous trading day. That day’s opening level was 807.62 points, the high was 814.80 points, and the low was 776.60 points. The index closed 8.81 points below its opening level and 22.21 points above its low. The gap between the August 7, 2026 high and low was 38.20 points. KOSDAQ closing data

Both indexes closed below their opening levels and intraday highs on August 7, 2026. However, the KOSPI finished 100.04 points above its low and the KOSDAQ finished 22.21 points above its low, so neither ended trading at its lowest level of the session. The editorial interpretation based on the closing data is that broad market weakness continued, but the indexes recovered part of their losses after setting their intraday lows. This price path alone does not identify who drove the recovery or what caused it.

SK hynix and SK Square Fall More Sharply Than the Index

SK hynix closed the regular session on August 7, 2026, at KRW 1,422,000, down KRW 73,000, or 4.88%, from the previous trading day. It posted the largest percentage decline among the stocks tracked, falling 4.28 percentage points more than the KOSPI’s 0.60% decline that day. The opening price was KRW 1,497,000, the high was KRW 1,542,000, the low was KRW 1,409,000, and trading volume was 7,578,263 shares. The stock closed KRW 75,000 below its opening price and KRW 13,000 above its low. SK hynix closing data Previous analysis is available in the SK hynix stock hub.

SK Square ended the regular session on August 7, 2026, at KRW 939,000, down KRW 31,000, or 3.20%, from the previous trading day. The opening price was KRW 986,000, the high was KRW 1,006,000, the low was KRW 925,000, and trading volume was 879,561 shares. The stock closed KRW 47,000 below its opening price and KRW 14,000 above its low. Its decline was 2.60 percentage points greater than the KOSPI’s decline that day. SK Square closing data Related coverage is compiled in the SK Square stock hub.

Both stocks traded above their opening prices at their August 7, 2026 highs but closed below their opening prices. It is verifiable that SK hynix and SK Square both fell more sharply than the index, but their simultaneous weakness alone does not establish that the same company-specific development or selling pressure affected both stocks.

Samsung Electronics Rises, While Hyundai Motor Falls 1.13%

Samsung Electronics closed the regular session on August 7, 2026, at KRW 231,000, up KRW 500, or 0.22%, from the previous trading day. Its opening price was also KRW 231,000, matching the closing price, while the high was KRW 239,500, the low was KRW 229,000, and trading volume was 31,500,103 shares. The stock closed KRW 8,500 below its high and KRW 2,000 above its low. Samsung Electronics moved in the opposite direction as the KOSPI fell 0.60% and SK hynix declined 4.88% that day. Samsung Electronics closing data Previous company-specific analysis is available in the Samsung Electronics stock hub.

Hyundai Motor closed on August 7, 2026, at KRW 395,500, down KRW 4,500, or 1.13%, from the previous trading day. The opening price was KRW 401,500, the high was KRW 406,000, the low was KRW 387,000, and trading volume was 617,914 shares. The stock closed KRW 6,000 below its opening price but KRW 8,500 above its low. It moved in the same direction as the KOSPI and fell 0.53 percentage points more than the index, though its decline was smaller than those of SK hynix and SK Square. Hyundai Motor closing data Previous coverage is available in the Hyundai Motor stock hub.

The editorial interpretation based on closing prices is that weakness among the stocks tracked was uneven on August 7, 2026. SK hynix and SK Square fell more sharply than the index, while Samsung Electronics rose and Hyundai Motor posted a smaller decline than those two stocks. This is a comparison of individual stock returns, not a judgment about what caused the differences.

Distinguishing Foreign Net Selling From Reported Market Context

Final investor flow data for August 7, 2026 showed that foreign investors were net sellers of KRW 859 billion. Institutions were net buyers of KRW 579.1 billion that day, while retail investors were also net buyers of KRW 267.7 billion. Foreign net selling and declines in both indexes occurred during the same regular session, but their simultaneous movement alone does not establish that foreign trading determined the extent of the index declines. Investor flow data

A premarket Yonhap News report published on August 7, 2026 cited weakness in US stocks and expectations of bargain buying in the domestic market as factors to watch for the KOSPI that day. This was an outlook presented in a premarket report and cannot be treated as the confirmed cause of the KOSPI’s 0.60% closing decline on August 7, 2026. Original Yonhap News market-view report

An intraday Yonhap News TV report on August 7, 2026 said that foreign and institutional investors were net buyers at the time, while retail investors were net sellers. However, the final regular-session data showed that foreign investors were net sellers of KRW 859 billion, while institutions and retail investors were net buyers of KRW 579.1 billion and KRW 267.7 billion, respectively. Because the intraday report and closing investor flow data reflect different measurement times, they should not be combined and interpreted as a single final result. Original Yonhap News TV intraday report

A separate market-opening report published on August 7, 2026 cited the US stock market and efforts to advance legislation prohibiting passage through the Strait of Hormuz as premarket context. This was likewise the report’s interpretation of the overseas market environment before the open and does not provide grounds to identify the direct cause of the 4.88% and 3.20% declines in SK hynix and SK Square, respectively, during South Korea’s regular session. Original market-opening report

Three Items to Watch in the Next Regular Session

  • It will be necessary to check how the KOSPI changes the 100.04-point gap between its August 7, 2026 close of 6,258.77 points and its low of 6,158.73 points in subsequent regular-session closes. For the KOSDAQ, the August 7, 2026 close of 798.81 points and opening level of 807.62 points can serve as comparison points.

  • It will be important to compare the August 7, 2026 declines of 4.88% and 3.20% in SK hynix and SK Square with Samsung Electronics’ August 7, 2026 gain of 0.22% in subsequent regular sessions. This is a basis for price comparison and does not indicate the direction of the next trading day or a trading decision.

  • It will be necessary to check whether the direction of foreign investors’ KRW 859 billion in net selling and institutional and retail investors’ respective KRW 579.1 billion and KRW 267.7 billion in net buying on August 7, 2026 is maintained in final data for subsequent regular sessions. Even if investor flows and the indexes move in the same direction, that fact alone does not establish a causal relationship.