Seoul’s KOSPI gained 1.3 percent to 4,054.56 after a near 3-percent plunge the previous day, while the KOSDAQ edged up 0.25 percent to stay above 900. Retail investors led the recovery, while foreign and domestic institutions continued to take profits after weeks of heavy buying.
Hyosung Heavy Industries rose 4.1 percent to 2.3 million won ($1,591). The stock has surged 462.6 percent year-to-date through Tuesday, far outpacing the KOSPI’s 71.8 percent rise over the same period.
Analysts downplayed the fears of an AI bubble.
"KOSPI has sufficient grounds to attract global investors over the long term," said Kim Dong-won, head of research at KB Securities. "We see the current rally as the beginning of the third bullish era in five decades of the Korean stock market," he added, reaffirming the brokerage's target of 5,000 points in 2026.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 rose 1.3 percent to 50,850.12, rebounding from Wednesday’s 2.5 percent drop driven by U.S. tech volatility and concerns about an extended federal government shutdown.
Japanese and Korean shares have been sensitive to sentiment around artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and power infrastructure, sectors that form the backbone of regional supply chains. SoftBank Group, involved in the U.S. AI infrastructure project “Stargate” with OpenAI, inched up 0.2 percent to 216.4 yen ($1.4), recovering from a double-digit decline the day before.
China also posted modest gains. The Shanghai Composite added 0.3 percent to 3,982.56, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index rose 0.7 percent to 26,109.72.
Newly listed autonomous-vehicle stocks underperformed in Hong Kong. WeRide dropped more than 12 percent and Pony.ai fell nearly 8 percent in their trading debut. Pony.ai, which is also listed in the United States, raised HK$6.7 billion ($862 million) through its IPO, according to regulatory filings.
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