Market Summary

On July 31, 2026, the Korean stock market delivered a massive shock to the market as the KOSPI index recorded a phenomenal, record-high surge of 17.91%. Amid this rapid upward trend, the semiconductor sector, a core pillar of the Korean stock market, heated up with expectations of benefiting from increased investment in artificial intelligence (AI) highways by global Big Tech company Amazon. In contrast to the news of Amazon’s surging toll revenues, Apple fell as it was left out of the AI trend, which acted as a positive catalyst for Korean companies supplying high-performance semiconductors. Meanwhile, EcoPro, a leading secondary battery stock, recorded somewhat sluggish earnings, but the market’s attention is already turning toward its growth potential in 2027, leading to a re-evaluation from a long-term perspective. Externally, the Bank of Japan kept its benchmark interest rate at 1% while raising its economic growth forecast to 0.6%, stimulating volatility across Asian financial markets. Furthermore, as the Financial Services Commission announced a new policy to ban duplicate listings in principle and only allow exceptions, expectations for improving corporate governance and securing soundness in the Korean stock market are rising.

Author’s Opinion & Investment Strategy

With the Korean stock market having experienced a historic day, retail investors should adopt a cool-headed and rational portfolio diversification strategy rather than getting caught up in the excitement of the short-term surge. The KOSPI’s unprecedented 17.91% jump proves the market’s strong liquidity and growth engine, but it also suggests that investors should always remain vigilant about the potential for profit-taking sell-offs due to short-term overheating. In particular, it is wise to approach large-cap stocks like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix—which are semiconductor-centered AI beneficiaries triggered by Amazon’s infrastructure expansion—from a split-buy perspective as their long-term growth roadmaps remain valid. On the other hand, as in the case of EcoPro, which is focusing on its future value in 2027 despite sluggish earnings, the secondary battery sector requires a patient, long-term investment posture capable of enduring the immediate earnings gap. Rather than rushing to chase buys, a step-by-step approach to increasing weight while verifying companies’ actual earnings realization capabilities is required.

In addition, external variables such as the Bank of Japan’s interest rate freeze and growth forecast adjustment, along with the Financial Services Commission’s tightening of duplicate listing regulations, are important variables that will bring long-term changes to the supply and demand environment of the Korean stock market. The policy of allowing duplicate listings only by exception can be a positive signal to protect shareholder value, which has suffered from split-off listings, so investors should closely monitor related regulatory changes. Amid the mixed earnings of individual companies and the competition for AI leadership among global Big Tech, the best strategy for retail investors is to adjust their investment weight focusing on blue-chip companies in the Korean stock market that have strong fundamentals and hold irreplaceable positions in the global supply chain, rather than simply chasing trends. In a market where volatility is intensifying, investing while adhering to principles will ultimately bring long-term success.

Deep Dive of News Channels

① Naver Pay Securities - Summary

According to Naver Pay Securities on July 31, 2026, the Korean stock market staged an unprecedented scene with the KOSPI skyrocketing by a record-high 17.91%. Amid this explosive trend, market participants are focusing on the future timing of a rebound and the future value of EcoPro, which is currently experiencing sluggish earnings. At the same time, news in the global market that Amazon is generating massive profits by preempting AI infrastructure led to a strong influx of buying force into major tech stocks in the Korean stock market. The Financial Services Commission’s announcement of a policy to ban duplicate listings in principle from August, allowing only exceptions, is gathering high expectations as a system to prevent reckless corporate split-offs and protect the rights of minority shareholders. Additionally, changes in the real estate market following the rise in Seoul’s charter lease (Jeonse) prices in the first half of the year and the movement path of stock market funds have also emerged as major points of interest for investors.

  • Samsung Electronics: A representative company that is expected to fully benefit from long-term growth by supplying essential semiconductors in line with Amazon’s acceleration of AI highway construction.
  • SK Hynix: It has preempted the core component supply chain in the artificial intelligence market, emerging as the biggest beneficiary of global Big Tech’s facility investment expansion.
  • EcoPro: Although its recent earnings were weak, the market’s attention has already shifted toward an earnings turnaround in 2027, leading to recognition of its mid-to-long-term growth potential.
  • Amazon: It is leading the rise of global tech stocks by surging toll-like revenues through the construction of an unrivaled AI highway.

② Yonhap News Economy - Summary

Yonhap News Economy heavily featured the results of the Bank of Japan’s Monetary Policy Meeting, where the central bank froze the benchmark interest rate at 1% and raised this year’s growth outlook to 0.6%. In the Korean financial market, news was reported about a fierce four-way competition among local districts in Busan to attract the new building of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. Meanwhile, the revised Electronic Financial Transactions Act, updated after the TMON and WeMakePrice incident, was applied for the first time, leading financial authorities to issue management improvement measures to 10 registered electronic financial business operators, including payment gateway (PG) companies and prepaid service providers. Regarding Lotte Card, which had experienced a massive leak of customer information due to a past hacking incident, the Financial Services Commission decided through a plenary meeting to reduce its business suspension sanction from the original 4.5 months to 1.5 months. These policy measures and the strengthening of financial regulations are expected to have a significant impact on restoring trust across the Korean stock market and the operational stability of financial firms.

  • Lotte Card: It partially resolved its business uncertainty as the Financial Services Commission reduced its business suspension period to 1.5 months in connection with the large-scale information leak incident.
  • Samsung Electronics: Even amid external concerns over financial tightening, it is proving its solid fundamentals based on its differentiated semiconductor competitiveness.
  • SK Hynix: It is maintaining its stock price defense capabilities thanks to solid demand for AI semiconductors, even amid changes in global interest rate trends and regulatory environments.
  • EcoPro: Even amid changes in the financial regulatory environment and a stagnation period in electric vehicle demand, it is preparing for the upcoming market recovery based on its core value chain.

③ Maeil Business Newspaper - Summary

Maeil Business Newspaper analyzed the stark contrast in stock price movements between Amazon and Apple in the US Big Tech market and proposed response strategies for the Korean stock market. While Amazon generated high profits through expanded AI investments, Apple showed relatively sluggish movement, demonstrating that AI relevance determined stock success even among tech stocks. This shift served as an opportunity to provide massive reflection benefits to Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which supply high-performance memory in large quantities. Conversely, due to climate change, the entire southern region has been hit by a record-breaking heatwave reaching 41 degrees Celsius, dealing a direct blow to the real economy with livestock deaths and drought concerns. In addition, strict investigations by judicial authorities continue to refresh the overall social atmosphere and exert a subtle influence on investment sentiment.

  • Amazon: It achieved overwhelming performance in the artificial intelligence sector, driving its stock price to surge and once again confirming its absolute dominance in the global AI ecosystem.
  • Apple: Amid the market’s assessment that it failed to respond quickly to the AI trend, its stock price entered a downward path, contrasting sharply with Amazon.
  • Samsung Electronics: Amid Amazon’s infrastructure expansion trend, it brought broad smiles to the market with expectations of expanding high-performance semiconductor supply contracts.
  • SK Hynix: Whenever the construction of AI highways begins in earnest, it demonstrates its continuous profit-generation capability through component supply.

Top 5 Key Companies of the Day

  1. Samsung Electronics: In the process of global Big Tech companies like Amazon accelerating their AI infrastructure investments, it is playing its role as the bellwether stock of the Korean stock market by timely supplying key high-performance memory.
  2. SK Hynix: Based on its strong dominance in the AI semiconductor market, it continues its technological competitive edge and is considered a representative beneficiary of the trickle-down effect from Amazon’s rapid growth.
  3. EcoPro: Despite the recent earnings slowdown trend, the market’s attention is focused on its future growth engines for 2027, drawing undivided attention from investors seeking to secure long-term investment value.
  4. Lotte Card: As its business suspension period was reduced to 1.5 months through the Financial Services Commission’s reduction measure, it has paved a positive turning point by reducing risk management costs and resolving business uncertainties.
  5. Apple: Although it showed a divergent stock price trend from Amazon due to a recent lack of AI-related momentum, whether it rebounds through building a hardware-based AI ecosystem in the future will be an important indicator for Korean component suppliers.

Source & Disclaimer

  • 출처: Naver Pay Securities, Yonhap News Economy, Maeil Business Newspaper
  • This content represents a personal opinion and is for reference only.