EN Home › Market Briefing · published Oct 8, 2026 morning (KST) · prices as of 2026-10-07 close한국어

USD/KRW 1,338 lower, US 10Y 5.28%: Oct 8 Korea market briefing

Yesterday the US 10-year Treasury yield rose to 5.28% and the KOSPI 200 fell 2.03%. Germany's DAX and the Nikkei 225 also declined, so major stock markets were weak overall. The first indicator to check today is whether USD/KRW follows the rise in the Dollar Index.

Yesterday's closes

Indicator	Close	Change	%
USD/KRW10-06	1,338.1	-4.3	-0.32%
Dollar Index10-07	102.29	+0.42	+0.41%
USD/JPY10-07	158.10	+0.04	+0.03%
US 10Y Yield10-07	5.280%	+1.0bp	-
Korea 3Y Yield10-07	3.961%	+2.8bp	-
KOSPI 20010-07	1,073.63	-22.20	-2.03%
Nasdaq 10010-07	31,160.08	-64.39	-0.21%
Nikkei 22510-07	70,035.71	-648.27	-0.92%
Hang Seng10-07	24,130.50	-150.06	-0.62%
DAX10-07	25,104.36	-344.83	-1.35%
WTI Crude10-06	89.44	+0.01	+0.01%
Gold10-06	4,187.10	+30.30	+0.73%
Bitcoin10-08	83,108	-2,402	-2.81%

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 1,338.1 won per dollar on October 6, down 4.3 won (0.32%) from the previous day and 7.50% below its 100-day average of 1,446.6. The Dollar Index, by contrast, rose 0.41% to 102.29 on October 7, so its date is one day ahead of the USD/KRW close. USD/JPY was almost unchanged at 158.10 yen per dollar. The US 10-year Treasury yield rose 1.0bp to 5.280%, staying above its 100-day average of 4.700%. The Korea 3-year yield also rose 2.8bp to 3.961%, meaning yields went up both in Korea and abroad.

Equities

The KOSPI 200 fell 22.20 points (2.03%) to 1,073.63, the largest decline among the major indices, and is 7.24% below its 100-day average. Germany's DAX fell 1.35% to 25,104.36, and the Nikkei 225 dropped 0.92% to 70,035.71. The Hang Seng fell 0.62% to 24,130.50. The Nasdaq 100 slipped only 0.21% to 31,160.08, a relatively small decline, and remains 5.44% above its 100-day average.

Commodities & Crypto

WTI crude closed at 89.44 dollars on October 6, nearly unchanged from the previous day and 3.96% above its 100-day average of 86.03 dollars. Gold rose 0.73% to 4,187.10 dollars on the same day but is 2.97% below its 100-day average. Bitcoin stood at 83,108 dollars as of 7:00 a.m., down 2,402 dollars (2.81%) from the previous day, the biggest move of any asset in the market table. Keep in mind that the WTI and gold prices are closes from before the October 7 news came out.

News and Markets

Yemeni government forces have launched a large-scale operation against the Houthi rebels and claim to have taken control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Because the strait is an international shipping route, this is a variable directly linked to WTI crude. However, the WTI price in the market table is the October 6 close and does not yet reflect this news. Iran being named as behind a terror plot against the US base at RAF Fairford in the UK is another variable to watch for oil and gold prices in the context of Middle East geopolitical risk. France and Germany have proposed a fast-track EU trade retaliation tool aimed at China, making EU-China trade friction a variable for Germany's DAX and the Hang Seng. At home, military tension over North Korean mine-clearing operations continues, but the input data do not confirm whether this caused yesterday's KOSPI 200 decline.

What to Watch Today

Check how far today's USD/KRW rate moves from 1,338.1 won per dollar as it reflects the October 7 rise in the Dollar Index. The WTI crude close that will reflect the October 7 news on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait operation is another indicator to check. It is also worth watching whether the US 10-year Treasury yield stays around 5.280%. In Korea, the fifth launch of the Nuri rocket is scheduled within a one-hour window starting at 12:23 p.m. today. Ahead of the EU summit ten days from now, any follow-up remarks on trade with China are another variable to watch.

Yesterday's key world news

Terror Plot Against US Base at RAF Fairford in UK Blamed on Iran· Geopolitics
British police have made a seventh arrest over a terror plot targeting the US base at Fairford, and US and UK authorities have named Iran as the plot's backer. The US has withdrawn its bombers, and security tensions are rising as Iranian threats extend to US bases in Europe.
Yemeni Government Forces Launch 'Dawn of Yemen' Operation, Claim Control of Bab el-Mandeb Strait· Geopolitics
Yemeni government forces have launched a large-scale offensive against Houthi rebels, with 100 Saudi-led coalition fighter jets striking more than 300 targets. The fight for control of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait directly affects international shipping and oil prices.
Death of Russian Plague Institute Worker Fuels Infection Fears and Disinformation· Society
An employee of a plague research institute in Irkutsk, Russia, has died of pneumonia of unknown cause, and the hospital has been placed under quarantine. The WHO rates the regional risk as moderate to low, but Russia's tight control of information has let disinformation spread and deepened public health fears.
Student-Led Protests Over Education Budget Spread Across France· Politics
Protests over the education budget, led by French high school students, have spread nationwide, drawing more than 250,000 participants, with around 6,000 arrests since mid-September. Growing calls for more funding are putting pressure on the Macron government as it struggles with tight public finances.
France and Germany Propose Fast-Track EU Trade Retaliation Tool Aimed at China· Economy & Markets
Macron and Merz have proposed that the EU adopt a tool for rapid trade retaliation, in a letter sent ten days before an EU summit on the trade imbalance with China. Because the measure effectively targets China, there are concerns it could escalate EU-China trade tensions.

Full country-by-country summaries for Oct 7, 2026 (Korean) →

USD/KRW exchange rateUS 10-year Treasury yieldKOSPI 200Nasdaq 100WTI crude oil priceBitcoin priceDAX GermanyKorea 3-year yield

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.