KOSPI Closes at 5,342.73 as Nvidia Concerns Reverse Early Gains
Published on 11/12/2026 at 18:54 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSKOSPI Closes Lower After Volatile Session
- The KOSPI closed at 5,342.73 on November 12, 2026, down 32.63 points, or 0.61%, from the previous session.
- The index initially gained 0.20% and reached 5,458.84 before concerns about Nvidia leadership and options-expiration flows weighed on sentiment.
- Foreign investors bought KRW 378 billion of KOSPI shares, while institutions and retail investors were net sellers.
- Semiconductor shares diverged, with Samsung Electronics rising 0.97% and SK hynix falling 1.80%.
The KOSPI ended Thursday, November 12, 2026, at 5,342.73, down 32.63 points, or 0.61%, from the previous session's close of 5,375.36. The decline followed a volatile session in Seoul in which the benchmark initially rose and then surrendered its gains.
Early Gains Give Way To Selling
According to The Hankyoreh, the index opened at 5,385.94, or 0.20% above the previous close, and climbed as high as 5,458.84 during the morning. It later turned lower as investors reassessed the outlook for technology and semiconductor shares.
The session's tone was initially supported by gains in U.S. chip stocks, strong results from cloud-computing company CoreWeave and expectations surrounding a potential Anthropic initial public offering. Those positive factors were offset by reports that Nvidia's board was considering removing CEO Jensen Huang. Nvidia shares fell sharply in after-hours trading in New York, according to the report, adding uncertainty for companies linked to the artificial-intelligence supply chain.
Semiconductor Leaders Diverge
Market performance among large-cap technology companies was mixed. Samsung Electronics rose 0.97%, while SK hynix declined 1.80%. The difference reflected the sensitivity of SK hynix, a major high-bandwidth-memory supplier, to uncertainty surrounding Nvidia and a pullback after its 5.36% gain on the previous day. Samsung Biologics gained 1.33%, while LG Energy Solution fell 1.79%, Samsung Electro-Mechanics dropped 4.01% and Hyundai Motor lost 2.20%.
The monthly expiration of KOSPI 200 options also contributed to intraday volatility, with derivatives-linked selling adding to pressure during the session. The broader market was weaker: the KOSDAQ fell 1.22% to 696.53.
Foreign Buying Fails To Lift Index
Foreign investors were net buyers of KOSPI shares for a third consecutive session, purchasing KRW 378 billion. Institutions sold KRW 691.1 billion and retail investors sold KRW 204 billion, according to The Hankyoreh. The figures point to continued foreign demand but also show that institutional and domestic flows outweighed that support in the closing result.
The Korean won strengthened against the U.S. dollar, with the exchange rate ending daytime trading at KRW 1,330.7 per dollar, down KRW 2.9 from the previous session, the report said. Investors' attention now remains focused on developments affecting the AI and semiconductor complex, including Nvidia's planned earnings report next week. Further KOSPI coverage is available on the KOSPI topic page.
