KOSPI Crosses 9,000 for First Time

South Koreas benchmark KOSPI index breached the 9,000-point mark for the first time in its history, driven by an extended rally in semiconductor heavyweights.

Shares of major chipmakers like SK hynix led the surge, fuelled by sustained artificial intelligence demand and the announcement of a landmark Apple-Intel chip partnership.

The record close came despite hawkish signals from the US Federal Reserve, which indicated a potential rate hike later this year.

The milestone underscores the resilience of Asias tech-export economies in the face of global monetary tightening.