EN Home › Market Briefing · published Oct 27, 2026 morning (KST) · prices as of 2026-10-26 close한국어

WTI crude $103 higher, KOSPI 200 lower: Oct 27 Korea market briefing

Markets moved in different directions yesterday. The KOSPI 200 closed down 1.31% at 851.51, while the Nasdaq 100 and Germany's DAX rose. WTI crude closed the previous trading session, on the 23rd, up 3.82% at 103.27 dollars, which has put the focus on Middle East risk. For Korean stocks today, the biggest variable is the Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix earnings due out this week.

Yesterday's closes

Indicator	Close	Change	%
USD/KRW10-23	1,326.2	-0.3	-0.02%
Dollar Index10-26	101.99	+0.22	+0.22%
USD/JPY10-26	157.50	+0.65	+0.41%
US 10Y Yield10-26	5.000%	0.0bp	-
Korea 3Y Yield10-26	3.789%	-1.4bp	-
KOSPI 20010-26	851.51	-11.26	-1.31%
Nasdaq 10010-26	29,273.41	+315.88	+1.09%
Nikkei 22510-26	62,189.65	-503.51	-0.80%
Hang Seng10-26	23,211.81	+118.44	+0.51%
DAX10-26	25,410.84	+229.19	+0.91%
WTI Crude10-23	103.27	+3.80	+3.82%
Gold10-23	4,007.90	-52.50	-1.29%
Bitcoin10-27	80,050	-68	-0.09%

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 stood at 1,326.2 won per dollar as of the close on the 23rd. That was 0.3 won lower than the previous session, so essentially flat, and 6.85% below the 100-day average of 1,423.7. The Dollar Index rose 0.22% to 101.99 and USD/JPY rose 0.41% to 157.50 yen per dollar, so the dollar firmed slightly. The US 10-year Treasury yield was unchanged at 5.000% and stayed above its 100-day average of 4.771%. The Korea 3-year yield fell 1.4bp to 3.789%, below its 100-day average of 3.854%.

Equities

The KOSPI 200 closed down 11.26 points (1.31%) at 851.51, which is 24.03% below its 100-day average of 1,120.80. The Nasdaq 100 rose 1.09% to close at 29,273.41, and Germany's DAX rose 0.91% to 25,410.84. In Asia, the Nikkei 225 fell 0.80% to 62,189.65 and the Hang Seng rose 0.51% to 23,211.81. Korea's current account surplus ranks second in the world, yet Korean stocks have fallen well below their peak, so the debate over whether they are undervalued continues. Some analysts link the decline to worries that the semiconductor cycle has peaked.

Commodities & Crypto

WTI crude rose 3.80 dollars (3.82%) to 103.27 dollars as of the close on the 23rd, 20.11% above its 100-day average of 85.98 dollars. Gold fell 1.29% the same day to 4,007.90 dollars, below its 100-day average of 4,263.32 dollars. Bitcoin was at 80,050 dollars as of 7:00 a.m., down 0.09% from the previous day and nearly unchanged.

News and Markets

Peace talks between the US and Iran have stalled. There are also reports that US Central Command has briefed officials on a plan to strike Iran after the midterm elections, and this news bears directly on oil prices. Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia continued on the same day they resumed, which is also cited as a source of concern over Middle East supply. Note that the WTI price is the close from the 23rd, so it does not yet reflect the news from the 26th. President Trump suggested he could raise tariffs as high as 50%, adding to trade uncertainty. That is a factor to check for Korean stocks, which depend heavily on exports, and for the won. Cost-of-living protests that have spread across Europe are a source of political risk there, though the DAX still closed higher yesterday.

What to Watch Today

The Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix earnings releases this week are the key events for gauging where Korean stocks go next. With the US midterm elections eight days away, trade uncertainty is worth checking whenever there are comments about tariffs or vetoes. The state of US-Iran talks and whether the Houthis carry out more attacks are variables to watch alongside WTI crude prices. Whether the US 10-year Treasury yield holds around 5.000% and whether the Dollar Index keeps strengthening are also indicators to check. Ahead of next month's APEC summit in China, news about a North Korea-US summit is another variable to watch.

Yesterday's key world news

Cost-of-living and education protests spread from France across Europe· Society
Protests over living costs and education that began in France have spread across Europe. In France alone, about 410,000 people took part and more than 1,300 were arrested. Protests are also planned in some 20 German cities, adding to political risk in Europe.
Final campaign push 8 days before US midterms; Audi announces US plant· Politics
Eight days before the US midterms, Trump and Obama held competing rallies in swing states, and Audi announced a Georgia plant investment at a Trump rally. Trump suggested that if his side loses he would use vetoes heavily and push tariffs to 50%, which raises trade uncertainty.
Fears of full-scale Middle East war grow as US-Iran talks stall· Geopolitics
Stalled US-Iran peace talks have raised fears that full-scale war could resume, and US Central Command reportedly briefed a plan to strike Iran after the midterms. Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, coming at the same time as Israel's general election, are adding to oil and security concerns.
Lula narrowly re-elected in Brazil's presidential runoff· Politics
President Lula won re-election by a narrow margin in Brazil's presidential runoff. Flávio Bolsonaro had led the first round 47% to 45%. The Bolsonaro camp is seeking to have the election annulled, raising concerns about political turmoil.
Student movement wins Serbia's snap election, shaking Vučić's rule· Politics
The student-led 'Student List' won Serbia's snap general election, with turnout at a 30-year high, and Vučić's Progressive Party was defeated. Vučić's 14 years in power could come to an end, and the Balkan political landscape is expected to change.

Full country-by-country summaries for Oct 26, 2026 (Korean) →

WTI crude oil priceKOSPI 200USD/KRW exchange rateUS 10-year Treasury yieldNasdaq 100Samsung Electronics earningsSK Hynix earningsIran full-scale war

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.