Margin Debt Hits Record 34 Trillion Won as Stocks Rally; Analysts Warn of Volatility The KOSPI closed at 6,388.47 on April 21, setting a record high, as outstanding margin loans also climbed to an all-time peak. With expectations for further gains, retail investors have increasingly used leverage to take part in the rally. The rapid inflow of funds, however, is also heightening concerns about bigger swings ahead. According to the Korea Financial Investment Association on April 21, outstanding margin loans totaled 34.2592 trillion won as of April 17. The balance rose broad April 21, 2026

KOSPI Closes at Record High, Extending Rally Despite Middle East War Concerns South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI surged to a fresh record on the 21st, extending its rally despite the fallout from the war in the Middle East. According to the Korea Exchange, the KOSPI closed up 169.38 points, or 2.72%, at 6,388.47. It also set a new intraday high, surpassing the previous peak of 6,347.41, and topped the prior record close of 6,307.27 set Feb. 26. Foreign investors and institutions led the advance. Foreigners bought a net 1.7472 trillion won worth of shares, while institu April 21, 2026

KOSPI Hits Record High as Foreign Buying Lifts Shares Despite Geopolitical Risks South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI is pushing to fresh records despite uncertainty from geopolitical risks, helped by upbeat calls from global investment banks and heavy foreign buying. Still, a surge in leveraged stock purchases is being cited as a potential source of instability. According to the Korea Exchange, the KOSPI set two records on the 21st, surpassing both its intraday high of 6,347.41 set Feb. 27 and its previous record close of 6,307.27 set Feb. 26. Foreign inflows that have retu April 21, 2026

NH Investment & Securities’ Standard OCIO Wrap Grows as Volatility Drives Demand Market volatility driven by external uncertainty, along with a shift of funds into equities, is fueling rapid growth in standardized OCIO (outsourced chief investment officer) products designed for individual investors and small and midsize companies. The products are also seen as helping improve the profit structure of OCIO businesses, long criticized for low profitability. As of April 21, the financial investment industry said NH Investment & Securities’ standardized OCIO product, t April 21, 2026

Morgan Stanley Sees Agentic AI Boosting CPU, Memory Demand; Samsung, SK Hynix Among Beneficiaries Agentic AI — autonomous systems that plan and carry out multistep tasks — could broaden AI chip investment beyond graphics processing units to include central processing units and memory, Morgan Stanley said. According to Reuters, Morgan Stanley said in a report released the previous day that as AI moves beyond content generation toward autonomous execution, CPUs and memory, along with GPUs, are becoming key components that determine overall performance. The bank said the s April 21, 2026

Samchully Asset Management Expands AI Infrastructure Investments in Power, Data Centers and Grids Samchully Asset Management is expanding integrated infrastructure investments across power generation, data centers and electric grids to meet demand in the artificial intelligence era. The firm said on the 21st it is pursuing a strategy that spans renewable power supply, a data center-centered infrastructure value chain, and next-generation grid investments such as CPOs (charging point operators) and VPPs (virtual power plants). To respond to surging electricity demand driven by April 21, 2026

South Korea Launches Global K-Founders Network in India to Expand Startup Cooperation South Korea's Ministry of SMEs and Startups said it held a launch ceremony Monday for the 'Global K-Founders Network in India' at the Global Business Center (GBC) in New Delhi. The Global K-Founders Network is an international project the ministry is starting this year to connect Korean entrepreneurs and investors working across the world. The ministry said it plans to step up efforts to help Korean startups expand overseas, including through high-level talks with the Indian April 21, 2026

Samsung Compliance Chief Urges Caution as Union Plans Rally, Strike With a large rally by a Samsung Electronics labor union set for the next day, Lee Chan-hee, chairman of Samsung’s Compliance Monitoring Committee, urged caution, saying Samsung is viewed not simply as a private company but as a “national company.” He said many people are directly and indirectly connected to the company, including shareholders and investors, and the union should act more carefully. Lee made the remarks on April 21 before a regular meeting of the committee’s fourth term at April 21, 2026

11st Launches 'Happy Family Week' Discounts for May Gift Shopping With high prices persisting, South Korean e-commerce platform 11st is rolling out a large-scale discount campaign aimed at shoppers feeling the pinch as they prepare gifts for May, a month marked by family holidays. 11st said Monday it will run its “Happy Family Week” promotion through May 8, offering special deals on gifts spanning all ages, from Children’s Day toys to Parents’ Day home appliances and budget-friendly health supplements. The event, held in collaboration with popular April 21, 2026

Orion to Release Four Limited-Edition BBQ Snacks With Chef Yoo Yong-wook Orion said Tuesday it will release four limited-edition “BBQ” snack products in collaboration with barbecue specialist Chef Yoo Yong-wook. The company said it designed the lineup for the outdoor season, aiming to bring the flavors of a camping and picnic staple into an easy, everyday snack format. Orion said it adapted the chef’s signature recipes into snack products. The new items add barbecue flavors to Orion’s popular snacks, including Kkobuk Chip, Yegam and Swing Chip. Orion said it April 21, 2026