- The KOSPI opened at 6,017 and touched 6,100 early, then turned lower after Samsung Electronics released its Q3 details and shareholder-return update around 10 a.m. Seoul time.
- Samsung posted a record ₩107.4 trillion (≈ $80.4B) quarterly operating profit, but pushed the details of its remaining ₩55–75 trillion return plan to a late-January board meeting. The stock fell 4.13%.
- Nuclear names plunged after Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power ended construction-contract talks for the Czech Dukovany project: Daewoo E&C −18.57%, Doosan Enerbility −7.65%.
- SK hynix rose 2.62% as its ₩20 trillion (≈ $15B) buyback began, a clear contrast with Samsung.
Who bought and who sold (KOSPI)
| Investor | Net buy/sell | In USD |
| Foreigners | + about ₩70 billion | ≈ $52M · 3rd straight day of buying, but much smaller |
| Institutions | − about ₩445 billion | ≈ $333M |
| Retail | + about ₩34 billion | ≈ $25M |
Biggest movers
| Stock (ticker) | Close | Change | Why |
| Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) | ₩232,000 | −4.13% | Record profit, but return-plan details delayed to late January |
| SK hynix (000660.KS) | ₩1,526,000 | +2.62% | ₩20T buyback started; SK Square +3.47% |
| LG Energy Solution (373220.KS) | ₩356,000 | −8.60% | Parent LG Chem to sell about ₩2.5T of shares via a total return swap (overhang) |
| Daewoo E&C (047040.KS) | ₩11,620 | −18.57% | Czech nuclear construction talks ended |
| Doosan Enerbility (034020.KS) | ₩56,700 | −7.65% | Same Czech news; Q3 results came after the close |
| Hanwha Vision (489790.KS) | ₩49,100 | +22.14% | Q3 operating profit +183% |
| Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) | ₩292,500 | −1.18% | Profit beat, but full-year targets cut |
| T&E Korea (KOSDAQ debut) | ₩21,500 | +40.52% | First trading day vs. ₩15,300 IPO price |
What moved the market
Q3 operating profit was ₩107.44 trillion, up 783% year over year, with ₩106.5 trillion from the memory/chip (DS) division. The quarterly dividend is ₩4,601 per share (about ₩30 trillion in total). How the remaining ₩55–75 trillion will be split between dividends and buybacks will be decided at a late-January board meeting. Daishin Securities said the lack of specifics hurt sentiment; profit-taking after a 9.93% two-day KOSPI rally added pressure (Yonhap, Electronic Times).
Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power ended construction-contract negotiations with the Daewoo E&C–Doosan Enerbility consortium over key terms and will pick a new builder. Daewoo has asked to renegotiate. According to Dong-A Ilbo, the separate reactor and turbine supply contracts remain in place.
The Fed held rates at 3.75–4.00% on Oct 28 (U.S. time). The won opened at 1,342.0 per dollar, firmed to 1,331.3 intraday, and closed at 1,336.8. Tonight’s U.S. Q3 GDP and September PCE data, plus Amazon’s results, are the next catalysts.
Sentiment check: K-FGI at 15 (Extreme Fear)
Our Korea Fear & Greed Index slipped from 16 to 15. The weakest components were KOSPI momentum (1), market breadth (3) and new highs vs. lows (7). Only 14% of the top 1,000 KOSPI stocks are above their 20-day moving average.
Asia
- Japan Nikkei 225 +1.10% (64,659.47)
- Taiwan TAIEX −1.42% (46,368.33)
- Shanghai Composite −0.82% (3,651.43)
What to watch on Friday, Oct 30
- Whether the KOSPI holds 5,900 after a 282-point intraday range (6,100.11 high, 5,817.92 low).
- First reaction to results released late Thursday: Doosan Enerbility, Hanwha Aerospace, KB Financial.
- Amazon earnings and U.S. PCE inflation overnight, and whether USD/KRW stays in the ₩1,330s.
- Whether foreign buying continues for a 4th day.
Korea’s biggest company delivered its biggest-ever quarter, but the market wanted a concrete payout plan and did not get one yet. With the Czech nuclear setback and LG Energy Solution’s overhang on top, the KOSPI lost the 6,000 level it reclaimed a day earlier, and sentiment stays in extreme fear.
Related: Samsung Q3 2026 earnings › · Hyundai Motor Q3 2026 › · Why can’t Samsung cancel more shares? ›
