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At the end of last week, according to the Korea Exchange, the KOSPI recorded 37.61 points (0.60%) and closed at 6,258.77. In August, it fell by 5.10% over a single week, but on the final trading day in July it showed a sharp rise of 17.91%, yet a genuine upward trend has not yet manifested.
The U.S. big‑tech companies revealed through quarterly reports that they intend to continue investing in artificial intelligence (AI), boosting expectations for the memory semiconductor industry; however, fears of an early downturn have eased and the market shows some possibility of modest gains. Alongside this, the basic margin required for leveraged ETF trading has been increased to 30 million won, lowering investor accessibility and implying a potential easing of volatility.
Yet, researchers argue that unless institutional catalysts such as dividend‑payment policies are put in place, the possibility of a decline in the market remains. They note that if catalysts for reversing the bullish atmosphere—such as dividend payments—do not appear, momentum from real‑estate performance could lead to further downturns. Emphasizing the expectation for AI infrastructure stocks and consumer goods sectors, they point out that export growth has strengthened from -1.8% in Q4 of last year to 14.1% by Q2 of this year, compared with other sectors except semiconductors.
Economic experts say that as geopolitical tensions rise in the Middle East, WTI futures price rose 2.74%, reaching $77.29 per barrel; consequently U.S. Treasury 30‑year rates have again climbed above 5.2% annually, which needs attention. These external factors may affect the easing of domestic market volatility and investor sentiment.