KOSPI closes at 6,912.37 on August 27, 2026 — a third straight gain, on the day rates rose
The KOSPI index in South Korea closed at 6,912.37 on August 27, 2026, up 104.16 points or 1.53 percent, marking a third consecutive gain. Nvidia results released the previous evening drove semiconductor shares higher, while a Bank of Korea rate increase to 3.00 percent the same morning caused the index to give back part of its earlier advance. The KOSDAQ slipped 0.03 percent to 826.87. Retail investors were net sellers of 1.91 trillion won and foreigners and institutions combined were net buyers of 318.2 billion won. The won closed 3.9 stronger at 1,380.9 per dollar
The three lines
- Index — KOSPI 6,912.37, up 104.16 points or 1.53 percent, a third straight advance
- Driver — Nvidia's earnings. Samsung Electronics rose 1.72 percent, SK Hynix 2.49 percent
- Brake — The Bank of Korea's hike to 3.00 percent trimmed the morning's gains
Key questions
- Where did the KOSPI close on August 27, 2026?
- **6,912.37**, up **104.16 points** or **1.53 percent** from the previous close of 6,808.21. That was a **third consecutive advance**. The KOSDAQ was effectively flat, slipping 0.28 points or **0.03 percent to 826.87**. Turnover came to **265.5 million shares** worth **22.5 trillion won**, about 16.3 billion dollars. On flows, **retail investors sold a net 1.91 trillion won** while **foreigners and institutions together bought a net 318.2 billion won**. The won **strengthened 3.9 to 1,380.9** per dollar.
- Why did stocks rise on the day the central bank raised rates?
- **The external push was stronger than the domestic drag.** Nvidia reported second-quarter revenue of 96.2 billion dollars after the US close on August 26, beating expectations, and guided to roughly 70 percent revenue growth in the next fiscal year. That fed directly into Korean memory names: **Samsung Electronics rose 1.72 percent to 266,000 won** and **SK Hynix 2.49 percent to 1,730,000 won**. The Bank of Korea's move to **3.00 percent** worked the other way, and the index visibly **gave back part of its morning gain** after the decision. One analyst described the session as a **seesaw between Nvidia's earnings and the policy meeting**. In short: Nvidia explains why it rose, the rate decision explains why it did not rise more.
- How did the index gain while retail investors sold nearly 2 trillion won?
- **Because an index tracks the prices of its largest constituents, not net purchase totals.** Retail selling of **1.91 trillion won** spread across many names can coexist with a rising index if the **318.2 billion won** bought by foreigners and institutions is concentrated in heavyweights like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which carry outsized index weight. This publication described the identical pattern on August 26, when retail investors sold 2.2 trillion won and the index still rose — **two sessions in a row with the same shape**. Why reported net-buying figures differ between outlets is covered in "What foreign net buying is."
The KOSPI closed at 6,912.37 on August 27, 2026 — up 104.16 points, or 1.53 percent.
A third consecutive gain.
What makes the session worth a second look: the Bank of Korea raised its base rate to 3.00 percent the same morning. Stocks rose on a tightening day.
1. The numbers
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| KOSPI close | 6,912.37 |
| Change | +104.16 points (+1.53%) |
| KOSDAQ close | 826.87 (−0.28pt, −0.03%) |
| Turnover | 265.5 million shares |
| Value traded | 22.5 trillion won (~$16.3bn) |
| Won per dollar | 1,380.9 (−3.9, won stronger) |
The recent run:
| Date | Close | Note |
|---|---|---|
| August 24 | 6,696.96 | Samsung Electronics −8.7% |
| August 25 | 6,742.74 | Rebound after a 4.3% drop |
| August 26 | 6,808.21 | +0.97% |
| August 27 | 6,912.37 | +1.53% |
215 points recovered in three sessions.
2. What pushed — Nvidia
The driver was not domestic.
Nvidia reported second-quarter revenue of 96.2 billion dollars after the US close on August 26, ahead of expectations, and guided to roughly 70 percent revenue growth in the next fiscal year. Its data center segment came in at 89 billion dollars, up 117 percent year on year and 92 percent of total revenue.
Korean memory names are the most direct global proxy for that demand, because Nvidia's accelerators ship with high bandwidth memory supplied largely by SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics and Micron.
| Stock | Change | Close |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Electronics | +1.72% | 266,000 won |
| SK Hynix | +2.49% | 1,730,000 won |
| LG Energy Solution | +5.56% | 370,500 won |
| Posco Future M | +9.07% | 184,000 won |
| Celltrion | −1.09% | 191,300 won |
| SK Biopharmaceuticals | −3.93% | 88,000 won |
Semiconductors and battery materials led; biopharma lagged.
3. What pulled — the rate decision
The index gave back part of its morning gain after the Monetary Policy Board announced.
The Bank of Korea raised the base rate from 2.75 to 3.00 percent, a second consecutive increase, and one that 79 percent of surveyed bond market participants had not expected. Unanticipated tightening is usually a headwind for equities.
| Force | Direction | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Nvidia earnings | Push up | August 26 evening, US |
| Rate hike to 3.00% | Pull down | August 27 morning, Korea |
Net result: +1.53 percent. The push won.
The decision itself is covered in "Bank of Korea raises base rate to 3.00% on August 27, 2026."
4. Flows — retail sold, the index rose
| Participant | Net position |
|---|---|
| Retail | −1.91 trillion won (net seller) |
| Foreign + institutional | +318.2 billion won (net buyer) |
Retail investors sold nearly 2 trillion won and the index gained 1.53 percent.
That is not a contradiction. An index reflects the prices of its heaviest constituents, not aggregate net flows. Retail selling dispersed across hundreds of names, alongside foreign and institutional buying concentrated in Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, produces exactly this shape.
The same pattern appeared on August 26, when retail sold 2.2 trillion won and the index still rose — two consecutive sessions.
5. The currency
The won closed at 1,380.9 per dollar, 3.9 stronger on the day.
Higher policy rates raise the return on holding a currency, so the direction is consistent with the decision. The hike narrowed the Korea-US rate gap from 1.00 to 0.75 percentage points — covered in "What the Korea-US rate gap is."
6. What we could not confirm
- KOSDAQ close — 826.87 rests on a single source.
- Flow figures — retail and foreign/institutional totals come from one outlet and vary with cut-off and classification.
- Intraday range — highs, lows and the size of the post-decision pullback were not confirmed.
- Currency benchmark — whether 1,380.9 is the onshore fix or includes night trading.
- Breadth — advancer-decliner counts and sector detail were not reviewed.
Sources
- Korea JoongAng Daily — Kospi closes higher for third straight day on Nvidia Q2 earnings report
- Herald Business — Second consecutive hike, growth forecast raised to 3.3%
- Money Today — Nvidia sees 70% revenue growth next year, fueling a memory upcycle
- Ajunews — Nvidia posts another record on AI investment; margins and China remain variables
- Gukje News — KOSPI closes at 6,808.21, up 0.97% (prior session)
- Investing.com — KOSPI historical data