KOSPI Falls Amid Soft Trade Data and Profit-Taking

The benchmark KOSPI fell 0.54% to around 3,197 on Wednesday, as investors engaged in profit-taking following a strong rally that pushed the index to multi-year highs.

Market sentiment was further shaped by a combination of softening economic indicators and policy developments.

Economic indicators pointed to rising external pressure, with export prices falling 4.5% year-on-year in June from a 2.6% decline in May due to newly imposed US tariffs.

Import prices also contracted by 6.2% in June, deepening from a 5.1% decline in May.

Meanwhile, investor attention turned to structural reform prospects after the government announced plans to prepare a roadmap to pursue developed market status with MSCI. The initiative forms part of President Lee’s plan to attract increased foreign capital by transitioning South Korea from emerging to developed market classification.

In the corporate sector, notable losses were from KB Financial Group (3.43%), SK Hynix (1.68%), and LG Energy Solution (1.26%).