EN Home › Market Briefing · published Oct 2, 2026 morning (KST) · prices as of 2026-10-01 close한국어

US 10Y 5.24% lower, Nikkei 225 surges: Oct 2 Korea market briefing

The US 10-year Treasury yield fell 5bp yesterday to close at 5.240%. In Asian equities, the Nikkei 225 rose 3.30% and the KOSPI 200 gained 2.09%, while Germany's DAX fell 1.03%. Today, one thing to watch is how Russia's nuclear warning and mixed signals on US AI regulation show up in sentiment toward risk assets.

Yesterday's closes

Indicator	Close	Change	%
USD/KRW09-30	1,355.7	+1.7	+0.13%
Dollar Index10-01	101.89	+0.65	+0.64%
USD/JPY10-01	157.74	+0.60	+0.38%
US 10Y Yield10-01	5.240%	-5.0bp	-
Korea 3Y Yield10-01	4.010%	-0.1bp	-
KOSPI 20010-01	1,104.48	+22.66	+2.09%
Nasdaq 10010-01	30,501.56	+93.06	+0.31%
Nikkei 22510-01	68,956.72	+2,203.00	+3.30%
Hang Seng09-30	24,613.27	+89.70	+0.37%
DAX10-01	24,939.35	-259.84	-1.03%
WTI Crude09-30	90.42	+1.04	+1.16%
Gold09-30	4,186.70	+7.00	+0.17%
Bitcoin10-02	84,506	+932	+1.12%

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 1,355.7 won per dollar on September 30, up 1.7 won (0.13%) from the previous day. That is 6.67% below its 100-day average of 1,452.5. On October 1, the Dollar Index rose 0.64% to 101.89, above its 100-day average of 100.24, and USD/JPY also climbed 0.38% to close at 157.74 yen per dollar. The US 10-year Treasury yield fell 5.0bp, from 5.290% to 5.240%, but remains above its 100-day average of 4.667%. The Korea 3-year yield was almost unchanged, slipping just 0.1bp to 4.010%. The won rate is based on the close one day earlier, so the figure for October 1 onward, which would reflect the stronger dollar, needs to be checked separately.

Equities

The KOSPI 200 rose 22.66 points (2.09%) to close at 1,104.48. However, it is still 4.77% below its 100-day average of 1,159.75. The Nikkei 225 surged 3.30% to 68,956.72, putting it 4.38% above its 100-day average. The Nasdaq 100 rose 0.31% to close at 30,501.56. Germany's DAX, by contrast, fell 1.03% to 24,939.35, the only major index to decline. The Hang Seng stood at 24,613.27 as of its September 30 close, up 0.37%.

Commodities & Crypto

WTI crude rose 1.04 dollars (1.16%) to 90.42 dollars per barrel as of its September 30 close, 4.69% above its 100-day average of 86.37 dollars. Gold rose 0.17% on the same day to close at 4,186.70 dollars per ounce, but remains 3.46% below its 100-day average of 4,336.67 dollars. Bitcoin was at 84,506 dollars as of 7:00 a.m. today, 1.12% above the previous daily close. The oil and gold prices are closes from before the October 1 news, so they may not yet reflect yesterday's geopolitical events.

News and Markets

On the day Russia warned it could use nuclear weapons if Kaliningrad were isolated and even named European weapons factories as targets, the DAX, Europe's benchmark index, fell 1.03%. However, the two events simply happened on the same day, and there is no basis to conclude that this news alone caused the decline. In the US, a report that the FTC is investigating Anthropic, OpenAI and others came out the day after the White House announced a voluntary AI agreement, pointing regulation in conflicting directions. Even so, the Nasdaq 100 rose 0.31%, showing no clear shock at the index level. The incident at RAF Fairford in the UK and the flydubai passenger jet incident are news related to Middle East risk, but the WTI figure in the table is the previous day's close, so their impact cannot be confirmed.

What to Watch Today

First, it is worth checking how tensions between Russia and NATO, along with follow-up measures on the UK base incident, in which signs of Iranian involvement have emerged, are reflected in European equities and the Dollar Index. How the US FTC's process of requiring AI company executives to submit information and testify unfolds is also a variable for the Nasdaq 100. Domestically, a variable to watch is how the Korean government responds to the Korean investment plan in the US that President Trump announced unilaterally. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in East Asia, including President Xi Jinping's remarks pressuring Taiwan and the UN Command's confirmation of North Korean landmine laying, are also points to follow. Indicators to check include USD/KRW as of October 1, any further movement in the US 10-year Treasury yield after its fall to 5.240%, and the trend in WTI crude, which has risen above 90 dollars.

Yesterday's key world news

Russia Issues Nuclear Warning Over Kaliningrad, Threatens Strikes on European Arms Factories· Geopolitics
Russia warned NATO that it could use nuclear weapons if Kaliningrad is isolated, while airstrikes killed at least 7 people in Ukraine and knocked out power. By also naming European arms factories as possible targets, Moscow raised the risk of escalation with NATO.
Signs of Iranian Involvement in Incident at UK's RAF Fairford· Geopolitics
Prime Minister Burnham said there are signs Iran was involved in an incident at RAF Fairford, where 5 people have been arrested. He convened a COBRA meeting and is coordinating with the US. Because US bombers use the base, there are growing fears that the Iran war could spread to Western soil.
UK Prime Minister Burnham Puts EU Membership Back on the Table· Politics
Prime Minister Burnham called Brexit a failure and said rejoining the EU is an option, with a UK-EU summit planned for this year and a possible referendum pledge. A potential shift in Britain's post-Brexit trade order has the pound and European markets watching closely.
US Sends Mixed Signals on AI Regulation: White House Voluntary Pact Followed by FTC Probe· Tech & Industry
Trump reached a voluntary safety pact with AI company leaders in place of government regulation, but the very next day the FTC reportedly opened investigations into Anthropic, OpenAI and others. Uncertainty over the direction of AI regulation could weigh on investor sentiment toward Big Tech.
Deliberate Crash Attempted on Flydubai Flight to Tel Aviv· Geopolitics
A Flydubai first officer stabbed the captain and tried to crash the plane, which plunged 15,000 feet in one minute before passengers subdued him. Israel called it an attempted terrorist attack, and the incident could strain Israel-UAE relations.

Full country-by-country summaries for Oct 1, 2026 (Korean) →

US 10-year Treasury yieldUSD/KRW exchange rateKOSPI 200Nikkei 225Germany DAXWTI crude oil priceBitcoin priceNasdaq 100

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.