EN Home › Market Briefing · published Oct 17, 2026 morning (KST) · prices as of 2026-10-16 close한국어

USD/KRW 1,337 lower: Oct 17 Korea market briefing

Yesterday (Oct 16), US September inflation data came in above expectations, and the Nasdaq 100 fell 2.50%. The KOSPI 200, however, rose 2.03%, and USD/KRW fell to 1,336.5 won per dollar. Over the weekend, the variables to watch are whether the maritime crisis in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, and the collapse of the Russia-Ukraine energy ceasefire, keep affecting oil prices.

Yesterday's closes

Indicator	Close	Change	%
USD/KRW10-16	1,336.5	-5.5	-0.41%
Dollar Index10-16	101.67	-0.46	-0.45%
USD/JPY10-16	157.92	-0.13	-0.08%
US 10Y Yield10-16	5.090%	-1.0bp	-
Korea 3Y Yield10-16	3.854%	-1.3bp	-
KOSPI 20010-16	878.16	+17.46	+2.03%
Nasdaq 10010-16	29,187.55	-748.05	-2.50%
Nikkei 22510-16	65,324.29	+898.34	+1.39%
Hang Seng10-16	24,186.83	+124.11	+0.52%
DAX10-16	25,622.61	+239.99	+0.95%
WTI Crude10-15	96.50	+1.41	+1.48%
Gold10-15	4,170.10	+62.20	+1.51%
Bitcoin10-17	81,659	-531	-0.65%

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 1,336.5 won per dollar, down 5.5 won (0.41%) from the previous day and 6.77% below its 100-day average of 1,433.6. The Dollar Index also fell 0.45% to 101.67 but is still 1.15% above its 100-day average. USD/JPY slipped only 0.08% to 157.92 yen per dollar. The US 10-year Treasury yield fell 1.0bp to 5.090% and remains above its 100-day average of 4.735%. The Korea 3-year yield fell 1.3bp to 3.854%, almost level with its 100-day average of 3.848%.

Equities

The Nasdaq 100 fell 2.50% to 29,187.55, the biggest drop among the major indices. The KOSPI 200, by contrast, rose 2.03% to 878.16 but is still 23.17% below its 100-day average of 1,142.95. The Nikkei 225 closed up 1.39% at 65,324.29, the Hang Seng rose 0.52% to 24,186.83, and Germany's DAX gained 0.95% to 25,622.61. Domestic news reported a crash in the Korean stock market that triggered circuit breakers, yet the market table shows the KOSPI 200 higher at its Oct 16 close. The trading day of the crash and the timing of the closing prices therefore need to be checked separately.

Commodities & Crypto

WTI crude rose 1.48% to 96.50 dollars based on the Oct 15 close, 12.90% above its 100-day average of 85.48 dollars. Gold rose 1.51% to 4,170.10 dollars based on the Oct 15 close but is 2.74% below its 100-day average. Keep in mind that the oil and gold figures are Oct 15 closes, not Oct 16. Bitcoin stood at 81,659 dollars as of 7 a.m., down 0.65% from the previous day.

News and Markets

US September CPI and PPI came in above expectations on surging energy prices, raising pressure on the Fed for further rate hikes, and this coincided with the Nasdaq 100's decline on the same day. However, the US 10-year Treasury yield actually edged lower that day, so it is hard to say for certain how the inflation shock was reflected in the bond market. Attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, and renewed Russia-Ukraine strikes on refineries are all news linked to energy supply risk, and are cited as the background to WTI crude trading above its 100-day average. In the Korean stock market, foreign net selling and a sharp drop in large-cap semiconductor stocks were reported as factors weighing on investor sentiment.

What to Watch Today

Today is Saturday, so stock and bond markets are closed; the variables to check are Bitcoin, which trades over the weekend, and the flow of geopolitical news. Whether ship attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea and the exchanges between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis escalate further is a variable to watch that could affect oil prices next week. Whether refinery attacks and ship incidents in the Black Sea continue after the collapse of the Russia-Ukraine energy ceasefire is also worth watching. Markets are reported to be leaning toward a rate hold at this month's Fed meeting, so remarks by Fed officials and the US 10-year Treasury yield are indicators to check. In Korea, follow-up measures from the financial authorities' emergency review and foreign investor trading flows are indicators to check.

Yesterday's key world news

Russia-Ukraine 'energy ceasefire' collapses as US-Ukraine rift widens· Geopolitics
Ukraine resumed strikes on refineries after massive Russian drone attacks, with Russia having launched over 850 drones even during the ceasefire. Continued attacks on ships in the Black Sea are raising energy and maritime security risks.
Hormuz and Red Sea maritime crisis deepens as Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia intensify· Geopolitics
A string of ship attacks around the Strait of Hormuz sank a container ship, with 22 vessels hit by attacks or other incidents this month through the 14th. Fears of an escalating Saudi-Iran proxy war are raising oil and shipping risks.
US September CPI and PPI beat expectations, reigniting energy-driven inflation· Economy & Markets
US September inflation data far exceeded expectations on surging energy prices, with CPI up 3.7% year on year and PPI up 1.3% month on month. Growing pressure for further Fed rate hikes is shaking global markets.
Circuit breakers triggered on KOSPI and KOSDAQ amid 7% plunge· Economy & Markets
Korean stocks plunged on the US inflation shock and AI profitability concerns, with the KOSPI down 7.6% and foreigners net selling 3.6 trillion won. A sharp drop in the two leading chipmakers severely dampened sentiment toward Asian tech stocks.
China-North Korea New Yalu River Bridge officially opens· Geopolitics
The New Yalu River Bridge linking Dandong and Sinuiju officially opened, more than a decade after its originally planned 2014 opening. Expanding North Korea-China trade could create cracks in coordinated sanctions against Pyongyang.

Full country-by-country summaries for Oct 16, 2026 (Korean) →

USD/KRW exchange rateUS 10-year Treasury yieldKOSPI 200Nasdaq 100WTI crude oil pricegold priceUS CPIBitcoin price

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.