EN Home › Market Briefing · published Oct 1, 2026 morning (KST) · prices as of 2026-09-30 close한국어

US 10Y 5.29% higher, USD/KRW 1,354 lower: Oct 1 Korea market briefing

The US 10-year Treasury yield rose 3.0bp yesterday to 5.29%, and USD/KRW fell to 1,354 won per dollar at its latest close (September 29). The Nikkei 225 jumped 1.94%, but the KOSPI 200 and the DAX fell, and WTI crude dropped 3.48%. The variable to watch today is how the US responds in its talks with Iran on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Yesterday's closes

Indicator	Close	Change	%
USD/KRW09-29	1,354.0	-5.9	-0.43%
Dollar Index09-30	101.24	-0.19	-0.19%
USD/JPY09-30	157.14	-0.42	-0.27%
US 10Y Yield09-30	5.290%	+3.0bp	-
Korea 3Y Yield09-30	4.011%	-6.5bp	-
KOSPI 20009-30	1,081.82	-6.33	-0.58%
Nasdaq 10009-30	30,408.50	+69.17	+0.23%
Nikkei 22509-30	66,753.72	+1,272.45	+1.94%
Hang Seng09-30	24,613.27	+89.70	+0.37%
DAX09-30	25,199.19	-200.02	-0.79%
WTI Crude09-29	89.38	-3.22	-3.48%
Gold09-29	4,179.70	+11.30	+0.27%
Bitcoin10-01	83,723	+94	+0.11%

The date next to each indicator is the trading day of that close. Bitcoin is the spot price at publication (7am KST). Yield changes are in bp (0.01 pp).

FX & Rates

USD/KRW closed at 1,354.0 won per dollar on September 29. That is 5.9 won (0.43%) lower than the previous close and 6.86% below the 100-day average of 1,453.7 won. The Dollar Index fell 0.19% to 101.24, and USD/JPY also fell 0.27% to 157.14 yen per dollar, so the dollar was weaker across the board. The US 10-year Treasury yield, however, rose 3.0bp to 5.290%, well above its 100-day average of 4.659%. The Korea 3-year yield fell 6.5bp to 4.011%, so Korean and US yields moved in opposite directions. Note that the exchange rate figure is the September 29 close, so it does not yet include any moves from September 30.

Equities

The KOSPI 200 fell 0.58% to 1,081.82 and remains 6.74% below its 100-day average of 1,160.00. In Asia, the Nikkei 225 had the biggest move, rising 1.94% to 66,753.72, and the Hang Seng also rose 0.37% to 24,613.27. In Europe, Germany's DAX fell 0.79% to 25,199.19. In the US, the Nasdaq 100 rose 0.23% to 30,408.50 and stayed 3.18% above its 100-day average. Markets went in different directions depending on the region.

Commodities & Crypto

WTI crude closed at 89.38 dollars per barrel on September 29, down 3.22 dollars (3.48%). That was the biggest move in the market table. It is still 3.43% above its 100-day average of 86.41 dollars. Gold closed the same day at 4,179.70 dollars, up 0.27%, but remains 3.74% below its 100-day average. Bitcoin was at 83,723 dollars as of 7:00 a.m., up 0.11%, almost unchanged.

News and Markets

The US and Iran have exchanged messages on reopening the Strait of Hormuz through Qatari mediation, and this bears directly on oil prices. However, the WTI decline reflects the September 29 close while the news came on September 30, so we cannot say the news caused the drop. China will subsidize interest on first-home mortgages starting October 1. This is a stimulus measure meant to support the property market and domestic demand, and it relates to the Hang Seng, which has heavy exposure to China-related assets. President Trump's declaration on AI self-regulation is relevant to the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 because it could ease regulatory burdens, but the Nasdaq 100 gained only 0.23% yesterday. Poland's warning about Russian provocations and a US–Canada import ban taking effect added uncertainty around European security and North American supply chains. No direct causal link to the DAX decline has been confirmed.

What to Watch Today

First, it is worth checking how the US responds to Iran's conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, and how WTI crude prices move as a result. Second, it is worth watching how the Hang Seng reacts to China's first-home mortgage interest subsidy, which takes effect today. Third, the US 10-year Treasury yield is high at 5.29%, so it is an indicator to check alongside the Nasdaq 100 and other tech stocks. Fourth, the USD/KRW figure does not yet reflect moves since September 30, so please check the latest exchange rate separately. Finally, another variable to watch is whether inter-Korean tensions over the landmine incident in the Demilitarized Zone affect sentiment in the Korean stock market.

Yesterday's key world news

Trump Formally Labels AI 'Superintelligence,' Declares Industry Self-Regulation· Tech & Industry
Trump met with Big Tech CEOs and reached a voluntary AI self-regulation pact, calling AI 'superintelligence' while rejecting cooperation with China. With a regulatory vacuum heightening AI safety concerns, trust in the industry is wavering.
US and Iran Negotiate Reopening of Strait of Hormuz Through Qatari Mediation· Geopolitics
The US and Iran exchanged negotiating messages via Qatar, with Iran conveying its conditions for reopening the strait and awaiting a US response. Rising energy prices driven by the Middle East pushed Japan's electricity rates to a record high.
Warnings of Large-Scale Russian Provocation Heighten European Security Tensions· Geopolitics
Poland warned that Russia could launch a large-scale attack to test NATO, while the EU failed to agree on transferring Patriot systems to Ukraine. Spreading sabotage is putting NATO's unity to the test.
US-Canada Trade War Escalates as $1 Billion Import Ban Takes Effect· Economy & Markets
A US ban on imports of Canadian goods, covering $1 billion worth of products including dairy, motorcycles and alcoholic beverages, has taken effect. The growing trade dispute between allies is raising uncertainty over North American supply chains.
China Launches 1 Percentage Point Annual Interest Subsidy for First-Home Loans· Economy & Markets
Starting October 1, China will subsidize interest on first-home loans by 1 percentage point a year for up to five years, on loans of up to 1 million yuan. The move signals stimulus aimed at shoring up the sluggish property market and domestic demand.

Full country-by-country summaries for Sep 30, 2026 (Korean) →

USD/KRW exchange rateUS 10-year Treasury yieldKOSPI 200Nasdaq 100Nikkei 225WTI crude oil priceStrait of HormuzChina mortgage interest subsidy

This briefing is an automated summary of public market data and news-broadcast summaries from several countries, for information only — not investment advice. Figures follow the table's source data; markets may have moved since publication.