South Korea’s KOSPI fell 7.5% on Oct. 15 and closed at 5,554.22, part of a broader downturn that also reached Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
The index opened down 5.59%. Its decline passed 8% during the session, prompting the pause before trading resumed. Selling accelerated in the afternoon.
Chip stocks recorded steeper losses than the benchmark. Shares in SK Hynix fell 11.06%, while Samsung Electronics lost 9.48%, both exceeding the KOSPI’s 7.5% session decline.
The market declines extended beyond South Korea. On Oct. 15, benchmarks in Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong also fell: the Nikkei 225 lost 4.9%, Taiwan’s benchmark 3.41%, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index 1.03%.
The session extended a broader weekly slide. EconoTimes’ earlier coverage of the KOSPI’s weekly decline put its week-to-date loss at 15.5%.
