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Weekly wrap · Week of Sep 28 – Oct 2, 2026 · 5 trading days

KOSPI slips 1.1% as Samsung Electronics falls; KOSDAQ jumps 5.8% on HLB FDA approval

KOSPI−1.1%KOSDAQ+5.8%KOSPI 200−1.5%

The biggest story was the FDA approval of an HLB cholangiocarcinoma drug, reported as the first approval for a Korean drug company that submitted its own application. HLB Pharmaceutical closed the week up 35.3%, HLB Life Science up 36.4% and HLB up 32.4%. Reports said six group companies hit the daily upper limit, and the rally spread to KOSDAQ pharma and bio stocks, helping KOSDAQ to a 5.8% weekly gain. Further out, ADC and cancer drug names rose 6.6% as a group, and biosimilars rose 7.6%, led by SAM Chun Dang Pharm (up 24.9%). Biotech overall was up 3.6%, though no clear reason was reported for several individual large moves.

On the KOSPI side, the index fell 1.1% as US long-term rates, geopolitical risk over the US and Iran, and the wait for Samsung Electronics' Q3 preliminary results weighed, according to weekly previews. Samsung Electronics fell 3.3% and SK hynix 1.1%. Reports said semiconductor exports, up 263% from a year earlier to $60.3 billion, were a support, and the market trimmed losses late in the week on strong chip conditions. Chip testing and packaging names rose 12.0% and chip equipment and materials 8.5%.

Why the market moved

KOSPI fell on US long-term rates, US-Iran geopolitical risk and caution before Samsung Electronics' Q3 results, trimming losses late in the week on strong semiconductor conditions. KOSDAQ rose on the HLB group rally.123

Top themes

HLB group and bio

FDA approves HLB cholangiocarcinoma drug123

Chip testing and packaging

Substrate capacity expansion; strong chip exports12

  • SEMI Total Solution, Chip testing and packaging name+28.63%
  • Mirae, Chip testing and packaging name+28.06%
  • Exicon, Chip testing and packaging name+22.47%

New listings

Strong debut demand for new listings12

The big stories

HLB group surges on first FDA approval of a domestic-developed cancer drug

The FDA approved HLB's cholangiocarcinoma drug (rivoceranib-type FGFR2 therapy), the first such approval for a Korean pharma company submitting its own NDA. HLB Pharmaceutical closed up 35.27%, HLB Life Science 36.44% and HLB 32.40%, and the rally spread to Korean pharma and bio stocks as KOSDAQ closed up 5.78%.123456

Directly affected

Next in line

Bigwave Robotics and Global Technologies soar on KOSDAQ debut

Bigwave Robotics, a service-robot firm pursuing industrial humanoids, closed its first trading day up 76.12% after pricing at 18,000 won, and Global Technologies, an LED-driver fabless chip designer, closed up 53.50% after pricing at 10,000 won. Both debuts followed strong institutional and retail subscription demand.1234567

Directly affected

Next in line

KOSPI slips 1.09% as Samsung Electronics falls ahead of earnings

KOSPI closed down 1.09% and KOSPI 200 down 1.52%, while KOSDAQ rose 5.78%, with traders weighing US long-term rates, geopolitical risk over the US and Iran, and Samsung Electronics' Q3 preliminary results. Samsung Electronics closed down 3.33% and SK hynix down 1.13%, and analysts flagged semiconductor exports as the market's main support.123

Directly affected

Further out

Cosmecca Korea cuts 3Q estimates and sets merger decision, shares fall 13.59%

Yuanta Securities revised Cosmecca Korea's third-quarter estimates down while keeping its growth outlook intact, and the company filed a merger decision. Cosmecca Korea closed down 13.59%.123

Directly affected

Samsung Electro-Mechanics rises 4.90% on substrate capacity expansion

Samsung Electro-Mechanics filed a new facility investment and a major supply contract, and Mirae Asset Securities said the substrate capacity expansion is only the start, reiterating a Buy rating. The stock closed up 4.90%.123

Directly affected

Next in line

LG Energy Solution closes up 5.55% after amended supply contract

LG Energy Solution filed an amended major sales or supply contract, and the stock closed up 5.55%. The filing was the company's update on its battery supply agreement.1

Directly affected

The market

KOSPI closed at 7,003.74, down 1.1%. KOSPI 200 fell 1.5% to 1,109.05. KOSDAQ rose 5.8% to 893.29. Advancers numbered 1,459 against 1,043 decliners, with 265 unchanged. Trading value was about ₩24.8 trillion, below the recent average of about ₩28.6 trillion. Foreign investors net sold about ₩8.3 trillion on KOSPI and about ₩97.6 billion on KOSDAQ. Overseas, the S&P 500 fell 0.3%, the Nasdaq 100 ETF rose 0.7%, the US chips ETF rose 2.8% and the Nikkei 225 rose 2.9%. The won was little changed at 1,359.6 per dollar. The Korea 3-year yield was 3.937%, down 6.9 basis points, while the US 10-year was 5.28%, up 11.0 basis points. Brent oil fell 2.0% to $102.25 and gold fell 3.7%.

KOSPIDaily closes · shaded: this wrap7,003.74
6,0007,0008,0009,000
Jun 22Jul 24Aug 28Oct 2
KOSDAQDaily closes · shaded: this wrap893.29
700800900
Jun 22Jul 24Aug 28Oct 2

1,459 stocks rose, 1,043 fell · trading value ₩25T

USD/KRW1,359.60.0%
KTB 3y3.94-7bp
UST 10y5.28+11bp
S&P 5007,722.72−0.3%
Nasdaq 100 (QQQ ETF)+0.7%
US chips (SOXX ETF)+2.8%
Nikkei 22568,309.46+2.9%
Brent oil102.25−2.0%
Gold4,162.3−3.7%
Copper (CPER ETF)−2.7%

Themes investors follow

Lithium and rare metals led at 18.6%, followed by chip testing and packaging (12.0%), solar and wind (8.9%, Hanwha Solutions up 23.6%), semiconductor equipment and materials (8.5%), battery materials (7.9%, Lotte Energy Materials up 26.5%) and biosimilars (7.6%). K-defense rose 4.8%, with Samyang Comtech up 13.9%, Hanwha Systems up 12.2% and LIG Defense & Aerospace up 10.1%. EV batteries rose 4.6%, robots and humanoids 3.7%, and AI power and transformers 2.7%. HBM and AI chips rose 2.2%, led by Hanmi Semiconductor (up 11.7%). Shipbuilding gained 0.9%. Zinc and non-ferrous metals fell 14.4%, retail and duty-free 6.0%, construction 3.2%, casinos 2.4%, and K-beauty 1.5%. AI software was down 0.2%.

Popular themes

Best themes

Worst themes

  • Zinc & non-ferrous metals−14.4%Kukil Metal −45.4% · Daiyang Metal −36.1% · Youngpoong −6.4%
  • Retail & duty-free−6.0%Hanchang −91.1% · Hyungji Global −12.3% · Hanwha Galleria −6.1%
  • Construction & Middle East projects−3.2%Aptn −59.5% · Chinhung International Pref. −29.0% · Chinhung International 2nd Pref. −26.5%
  • Casinos−2.4%Lotte Tour Development −7.2% · Grand Korea Leisure −4.1% · Paradise −2.2%
  • Education & edtech−2.4%i-Scream Edu −42.4% · Digital Daesung −3.4% · Woongjin Thinkbig −1.9%
  • Sports & leisure−2.1%E-World −12.0% · Samchuly Bicycle −2.9% · Ananti −2.5%

The biggest companies

Samsung Electronics fell 3.3% (market value about ₩1,613.6 trillion) and SK hynix 1.1% (about ₩1,344.8 trillion). SK Square fell 2.5%. Samsung Electro-Mechanics rose 4.9% after filings on a new facility investment and a major supply contract; Mirae Asset Securities called the substrate expansion just the tip of the iceberg. LG Energy Solution rose 5.6% after an amended supply contract filing. Hyundai Motor fell 2.0%, KB Financial 3.3%, Shinhan Financial 4.1%, Samsung C&T 5.7%, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries 3.4% and KIA 2.2%. Hanwha Aerospace rose 5.0%. Doosan fell 11.3% with no clear reason reported.

Who was buying and selling

Foreign investors sold SK hynix (about ₩4.4 trillion), Samsung Electronics (about ₩3.2 trillion) and Samsung Electronics Pref. (about ₩579.2 billion). Their top buys were Woori Financial Group (about ₩599.6 billion, down 5.2%), SK Innovation (up 3.2%) and Hanmi Semiconductor (up 11.7%). Institutions bought Samsung Electro-Mechanics (about ₩207.9 billion), Daeduck Electronics (up 23.8%) and Hanmi Semiconductor, and sold Samsung Electronics (about ₩844.5 billion) and SK hynix. Retail investors bought Samsung Electronics (about ₩1.3 trillion), Samsung Electronics Pref. (down 8.6%) and Hyundai Motor, and sold SK hynix and Samsung Electro-Mechanics.

Foreign investors

Net bought

  1. 1Woori Financial Group+₩600B−5.2%
  2. 2SK Innovation+₩113B+3.2%
  3. 3Hanmi Semiconductor+₩66B+11.7%
  4. 4Jusung Engineering+₩64B+13.1%
  5. 5Simmtech+₩62B+11.8%
  6. 6Jeju Semiconductor+₩48B+19.1%
  7. 7SFA Semicon+₩48B+7.6%
  8. 8Ecopro+₩47B+11.0%
  9. 9Koh Young Technology+₩44B+17.0%
  10. 10S-Oil+₩42B+6.8%
  11. 11GS Engineering & Construction+₩41B−4.5%
  12. 12LG Electronics+₩36B+3.3%
  13. 13Samwha Capacitor+₩36B+6.5%
  14. 14HD Hyundai Heavy Industries+₩35B−3.4%
  15. 15HD Hyundai Energy Solutions+₩34B+16.0%

Net sold

  1. 1SK hynix−₩4.4T−1.1%
  2. 2Samsung Electronics−₩3.2T−3.3%
  3. 3Samsung Electronics Pref.−₩579B−8.6%
  4. 4Hyundai Motor−₩138B−2.0%
  5. 5Doosan Enerbility−₩122B−0.7%
  6. 6Daeduck Electronics−₩105B+23.8%
  7. 7KB Financial Group−₩103B−3.3%
  8. 8SK Square−₩102B−2.5%
  9. 9Leeno Industrial−₩102B+13.5%
  10. 10HLB−₩98B+32.4%
  11. 11Shinhan Financial Group−₩95B−4.1%
  12. 12Samsung Heavy Industries−₩66B−1.4%
  13. 13Wonik IPS−₩59B+3.4%
  14. 14Fadu−₩53B+5.3%
  15. 15Doosan−₩52B−11.3%

Institutions

Net bought

  1. 1Samsung Electro-Mechanics+₩208B+4.9%
  2. 2Daeduck Electronics+₩131B+23.8%
  3. 3Hanmi Semiconductor+₩108B+11.7%
  4. 4Leeno Industrial+₩103B+13.5%
  5. 5HPSP+₩89B+18.0%
  6. 6Hanwha Solutions+₩78B+23.6%
  7. 7Shinhan Financial Group+₩75B−4.1%
  8. 8Jusung Engineering+₩68B+13.1%
  9. 9LG Energy Solution+₩65B+5.6%
  10. 10LG Electronics+₩64B+3.3%
  11. 11Fadu+₩61B+5.3%
  12. 12KB Financial Group+₩61B−3.3%
  13. 13LG Innotek+₩57B+7.3%
  14. 14Hansol Chemical+₩55B+15.9%
  15. 15Soulbrain+₩54B+13.5%

Net sold

  1. 1Samsung Electronics−₩845B−3.3%
  2. 2SK hynix−₩468B−1.1%
  3. 3Samsung Electronics Pref.−₩134B−8.6%
  4. 4NAVER−₩76B−1.3%
  5. 5HD Hyundai Heavy Industries−₩75B−3.4%
  6. 6Doosan−₩70B−11.3%
  7. 7HD Construction Equipment−₩63B−9.1%
  8. 8Hyundai Engineering & Construction−₩59B−5.5%
  9. 9Brils−₩56B+11.7%
  10. 10Doosan Enerbility−₩48B−0.7%
  11. 11PharmaResearch−₩48B−5.1%
  12. 12GS Engineering & Construction−₩47B−4.5%
  13. 13Hanwha Ocean−₩46B−1.0%
  14. 14SFA Semicon−₩41B+7.6%
  15. 15KIA−₩41B−2.2%

Retail investors

Net bought

  1. 1Samsung Electronics+₩1.3T−3.3%
  2. 2Samsung Electronics Pref.+₩692B−8.6%
  3. 3Hyundai Motor+₩177B−2.0%
  4. 4Doosan Enerbility+₩171B−0.7%
  5. 5Doosan+₩126B−11.3%
  6. 6SK Square+₩121B−2.5%
  7. 7HLB+₩115B+32.4%
  8. 8Samsung Heavy Industries+₩93B−1.4%
  9. 9NAVER+₩84B−1.3%
  10. 10Hyosung Heavy Industries+₩76B−3.8%
  11. 11Brils+₩71B+11.7%
  12. 12HD Hyundai Electric+₩69B−4.2%
  13. 13Hanwha Ocean+₩67B−1.0%
  14. 14HD Construction Equipment+₩61B−9.1%
  15. 15Woori Financial Group+₩53B−5.2%

Net sold

  1. 1SK hynix−₩327B−1.1%
  2. 2Samsung Electro-Mechanics−₩246B+4.9%
  3. 3Hanmi Semiconductor−₩171B+11.7%
  4. 4Jusung Engineering−₩132B+13.1%
  5. 5HPSP−₩111B+18.0%
  6. 6LG Electronics−₩95B+3.3%
  7. 7Hanwha Solutions−₩90B+23.6%
  8. 8Jeju Semiconductor−₩81B+19.1%
  9. 9SK Innovation−₩79B+3.2%
  10. 10LG Energy Solution−₩76B+5.6%
  11. 11Ecopro−₩65B+11.0%
  12. 12Alteogen−₩60B+3.8%
  13. 13LG Innotek−₩58B+7.3%
  14. 14S-Oil−₩57B+6.8%
  15. 15Koh Young Technology−₩51B+17.0%

ETFs

Top ETFs were SOL All-Solid-State Battery & Silicon Anode (up 11.8%), TIGER Japan Semiconductor FACTSET (up 11.7%) and PLUS Solar & ESS (up 11.6%), with many Korean semiconductor equipment and materials ETFs up about 10%, and KOSDAQ active funds up about 9%. The weakest were China tech and semiconductor ETFs, such as TIGER China Semiconductor FACTSET (down 10.6%) and KODEX China AI Semiconductor TOP10 (down 10.4%), along with US 30-year Treasury ETFs (down 5.5% to 8.9%), silver ETFs and US space ETFs.

Best ETFs

Worst ETFs

Leveraged and inverse ETFs are left out; moves are the daily moves compounded.

How our signals did

There were no Squeeze! setups this week. Of 37 technical events, 7 worked. Uniquest's golden cross (+20.7%) and DK-Lok's 200-day reclaim (+18.9%) worked; Dongjin Semichem's 200-day reclaim (-24.3%), Koh Young Technology's breakout (-12.3%) and Hyundai Bioland's 52-week high (-22.3%) did not. No pair trades were flagged. Short squeeze scores were 60 for Meritz Financial Group, Hanssem and ISU Specialty Chemical, 58 for SM Entertainment and KMW.

Notable technical signals

37 notable signals: 7 moved the way they pointed so far.

Highest short squeeze scores

Signals describe past prices. Results run from the signal to the latest close; they are not recommendations.

Written by AI from JONBUR's data and checked against those figures. Index and stock moves are the daily moves compounded over the period. Reasons come only from the linked daily wraps, news, filings and broker reports; when none gives a reason, we say so. Not financial advice.

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