20260831 Domestic Economic Issues

🗂KOSPI Recovers to 6,820 Level After Plunging Mid-Session, Following a 'Weak Open, Strong Close' Trend The KOSPI, which showed weakness immediately after the opening due to concerns over tightening by the US Federal Reserve, rebounded with the easing of net selling by foreign investors and bargain hunting by individuals and institutions, closing 0.46% higher than the previous session at 6,820.02. 🗂Won/Dollar Exchange Rate Tests the 1,360s After Entering the Range Mid-Session, Settling in the 1,370s Despite pressure for a stronger dollar, the exchange rate attempted to stabilize, hitting the lower end of the 1,360s for the first time in 13 months mid-session, due to inflows from exporters' negotiation settlements at month-end and the effect of the Bank of Korea's base rate hike. 🗂KOSDAQ Index Ends Slightly Down for the First Time in 3 Trading Days (834.29) In contrast to the KOSPI's rebound, the KOSDAQ index closed slightly down at the 834 level, with profit-taking selling emerging primarily in sensitive pharmaceutical/biotech and some secondary battery growth stocks due to concerns over prolonged high interest rates.