EN Home › Market Briefing · published Oct 14, 2026 morning (KST) · prices as of 2026-10-13 close한국어

KOSPI 200 plunges, US 10Y 5.21%: Oct 14 Korea market briefing

Yesterday the KOSPI 200 plunged 6.25% to close at 942.07, and the Nikkei 225 also fell 1.82%. On the same day the US 10-year Treasury yield and the Korea 3-year yield both moved lower, to 5.21% and 3.857% respectively. One thing to check today is whether WTI crude, which rose on Middle East risk, is still weighing on Korean stocks and the won.

Yesterday's closes

Indicator	Close	Change	%
USD/KRW10-12	1,335.8	-6.2	-0.46%
Dollar Index10-13	102.24	-0.23	-0.23%
USD/JPY10-13	158.36	-0.32	-0.20%
US 10Y Yield10-13	5.210%	-3.0bp	-
Korea 3Y Yield10-13	3.857%	-6.4bp	-
KOSPI 20010-13	942.07	-62.85	-6.25%
Nasdaq 10010-13	30,569.48	-95.22	-0.31%
Nikkei 22510-13	67,777.52	-1,253.40	-1.82%
Hang Seng10-13	24,345.22	+74.02	+0.30%
DAX10-13	25,259.90	-17.78	-0.07%
WTI Crude10-12	93.74	+1.89	+2.06%
Gold10-12	4,190.60	-25.70	-0.61%
Bitcoin10-14	83,457	+1,650	+2.02%

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 on October 12 at 1,335.8 won per dollar. That is 6.2 won (0.46%) lower than the previous close and 7.25% below its 100-day average of 1,440.2. The exchange rate in the market table is dated one day earlier than the other indicators, so it does not reflect yesterday's stock market plunge. The Dollar Index slipped 0.23% to 102.24, and USD/JPY fell 0.20% to 158.36 yen per dollar. The US 10-year Treasury yield fell 3.0bp to 5.21% but is still above its 100-day average of 4.718%. The Korea 3-year yield dropped 6.4bp to 3.857%, close to its 100-day average of 3.844%.

Equities

The KOSPI 200 fell 62.85 points (6.25%) to close at 942.07, leaving it 18.14% below its 100-day average. Elsewhere in Asia, the Nikkei 225 lost 1.82% to 67,777.52, while the Hang Seng rose 0.30% to 24,345.22. The Nasdaq 100 slipped 0.31% to 30,569.48 but is still 3.21% above its 100-day average. Germany's DAX barely moved, edging down 0.07% to 25,259.90. Among the major indices, the KOSPI 200's drop was by far the largest. The news provided does not identify a direct cause of the plunge.

Commodities & Crypto

WTI crude closed on October 12 at 93.74 dollars per barrel, up 2.06% and 9.60% above its 100-day average of 85.53 dollars. Gold fell 0.61% on the same day to 4,190.60 dollars per ounce, 2.52% below its 100-day average. Bitcoin was at 83,457 dollars at 07:00 KST, up 2.02% from the previous close. Commodities were mixed, with oil rising and gold falling.

News and Markets

The Houthi rebels' repeated attacks on Riyadh airport and mine damage to tankers in the Strait of Hormuz have raised concerns about the safety of oil shipments, which ties directly to the rise in WTI crude. President Trump also eased sanctions on Russian diesel, but experts said the volume released is small and will do little to stabilize oil prices. With soaring fuel costs now the top issue ahead of the US midterm elections, energy prices are shaping US policy decisions on Russia and the Middle East. Iran's claim that the US accepted some of its conditions for ending the war is a variable on the side of easing Middle East tension, but it has not been confirmed. The material provided does not establish any causal link between the KOSPI 200 plunge and North Korea's missile launch.

What to Watch Today

After the KOSPI 200 lost more than 6% in a single day, the first indicator to check is how the index and the exchange rate move early in today's session. With operations at Riyadh airport suspended until the 17th, further Houthi attacks or US military intervention are variables to watch that could move oil prices. News on tanker damage in the Strait of Hormuz and progress in Iran-US talks on ending the war are also worth following alongside WTI crude. Another indicator to check, together with the Nasdaq 100, is whether the US 10-year Treasury yield stays as high as 5.21%. This briefing is a summary of information, not investment advice.

Yesterday's key world news

Houthi rebels launch repeated attacks on Saudi Arabia's Riyadh airport· Geopolitics
Houthi rebels attacked Riyadh International Airport two days in a row, killing 14 people and injuring more than 300. Brent crude rose to its highest level in about a month as Middle East risk increased.
Trump's one-sided announcement of a Russia-Ukraine 'energy truce' and the Russian diesel controversy· Geopolitics
Trump announced a Russia-Ukraine 'energy truce' on his own, but Russia attacked energy facilities in Kharkiv right after the announcement. A deal to release Russian diesel is weakening Western coordination on sanctions against Russia.
Iran says US accepted some of its 7 conditions as mines keep hitting tankers in Hormuz· Geopolitics
Iran said the US agreed to some of its seven conditions for ending the war. Since the 10th, three tankers in the Strait of Hormuz have hit mines and caught fire, putting a key global oil shipping route at risk and making oil prices more volatile.
Soaring fuel costs ahead of US midterms make even Republican strongholds competitive· Politics
Soaring fuel costs have become the top issue ahead of the US midterm elections. With gasoline above 5 dollars a gallon, even Republican strongholds are competitive, and election pressure is driving Trump's policy decisions on Russia and the Middle East.
EU and China agree on import quotas for Chinese hybrid and electric vehicles· Economy & Markets
The EU and China agreed on an import quota for Chinese hybrid vehicles, with an annual cap of 350,000 units that rises 6% a year for four years. The EU-China trade dispute over electric vehicles has moved into a managed phase.

Full country-by-country summaries for Oct 13, 2026 (Korean) →

KOSPI 200USD/KRW exchange rateUS 10-year Treasury yieldWTI crude oil priceNasdaq 100Nikkei 225Bitcoin priceKorea 3-year government bond 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.