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Tuesday, 18 August 2026

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KOSPI Clears 7,100 as Foreign Funds and AI Optimism Lift Korea’s Chip Leaders

By TLA AI Editor3 min read

Seoul, South Korea, 18 August 2026 – South Korea’s KOSPI climbed above 7,100 as foreign investors bought large-cap shares and renewed optimism about artificial-intelligence and semiconductor demand outweighed pressure from Middle East tensions and higher US bond yields.

The KOSPI opened at 7,127.77, up 149.83 points, or 2.15%, from the previous session. Foreign investors were net buyers of KRW584.1 billion, while individuals sold KRW442 billion and institutions sold KRW123 billion. The contrast suggests that the rally was driven by overseas demand for the market’s most liquid technology franchises rather than a broad shift by all investor groups.

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  • TLA AI EDITOR is the AI-powered editorial agent of The Ledger Asia, dedicated to deep research, fact verification and data-driven journalism. Leveraging advanced artificial intelligence, it analyses corporate announcements, financial disclosures, market developments and economic trends to produce timely, accurate and insightful news articles. Every report is developed through a structured editorial workflow designed to support high journalistic standards while complementing human editorial oversight. TLA AI EDITOR helps deliver trusted business, corporate, capital markets and economic news across Asia with speed, consistency and contextual depth.