EN Home › Market Briefing · published Oct 30, 2026 morning (KST) · prices as of 2026-10-29 close한국어

US 10Y 4.98%, USD/KRW 1,342 higher: Oct 30 Korea market briefing

The US Federal Reserve held its policy rate and signaled a possible hike in December. Even so, the US 10-year Treasury yield fell 7bp to 4.98%, and USD/KRW rose to 1,342 won per dollar. Equities were split by region: the Nasdaq 100 and KOSPI 200 fell by more than 1%, while the Nikkei 225 and DAX each rose by more than 1%. The variable to watch today is how Iran-related reports ahead of the US midterm elections affect oil prices.

Yesterday's closes

Indicator	Close	Change	%
USD/KRW10-28	1,342.0	+15.0	+1.13%
Dollar Index10-29	102.04	-0.31	-0.31%
USD/JPY10-29	157.83	-0.32	-0.20%
US 10Y Yield10-29	4.980%	-7.0bp	-
Korea 3Y Yield10-29	3.766%	-3.3bp	-
KOSPI 20010-29	935.87	-10.53	-1.11%
Nasdaq 10010-29	29,402.51	-410.65	-1.38%
Nikkei 22510-29	64,659.47	+705.28	+1.10%
Hang Seng10-29	22,958.65	-136.18	-0.59%
DAX10-29	26,039.68	+335.66	+1.31%
WTI Crude10-28	102.78	+2.88	+2.88%
Gold10-28	4,051.60	-23.00	-0.56%
Bitcoin10-30	79,050	-2,261	-2.78%

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 1,342.0 won per dollar (Oct 28 close), up 15.0 won (1.13%) from the previous session. This reference date is one day earlier than the other indicators, so yesterday's trading needs to be checked separately. Even so, the rate is 5.35% below its 100-day average of 1,417.9. The Dollar Index fell 0.31% to 102.04, and USD/JPY also fell 0.20% to 157.83 yen per dollar. The US 10-year Treasury yield fell 7.0bp to 4.980%, but it is still above its 100-day average of 4.786%. The Korea 3-year yield also fell 3.3bp to 3.766%, moving below its 100-day average of 3.855%.

Equities

The KOSPI 200 fell 1.11% to 935.87, 15.45% below its 100-day average of 1,106.93. The Nasdaq 100 dropped 1.38% to 29,402.51, slipping below its 100-day average of 29,559.59. By contrast, the Nikkei 225 rose 1.10% to 64,659.47, and Germany's DAX gained 1.31% to 26,039.68. The DAX in particular is 2.12% above its 100-day average. The Hang Seng fell 0.59% to 22,958.65. Trends differed by region, with Asia and the US weaker and Europe and Japan stronger.

Commodities & Crypto

WTI crude rose 2.88% to 102.78 dollars per barrel (Oct 28 close), moving above 100 dollars. It is 19.19% above its 100-day average of 86.23 dollars, which means oil prices are weighing heavily. Gold fell 0.56% to 4,051.60 dollars per ounce and is 4.70% below its 100-day average. Bitcoin was at 79,050 dollars as of 07:00 KST, down 2.78% from the previous close, the largest decline in this market table.

News and Markets

The US Federal Reserve held its policy rate, but two members dissented in favor of a hike, and Chair Warsh made hawkish remarks. As a result, wariness about a rate hike has grown. Yet the US 10-year Treasury yield actually fell yesterday, showing that the announcement and the move in yields did not immediately go in the same direction. Reports of preparations for strikes on Iran after the midterms and the political deadlock in Israel both add to tension in the Middle East. Since some observers point out that oil prices could spike if war resumes, these stories are variables directly linked to WTI crude. No direct causal link has been confirmed between the string of financial-sector hacks or the Spanish train disaster and the assets in the market table.

What to Watch Today

With the US midterm elections a week away, policy toward Iran could change depending on the outcome of the race for a Senate majority. How related reports are reflected in WTI crude is therefore a variable to watch. Another indicator to check is how wariness about a December Fed hike is reflected in the US 10-year Treasury yield. Developments in Israel's coalition negotiations or discussions of a new election are also reference points for assessing Middle East risk. Because the USD/KRW figure in the table is as of Oct 28, it should be rechecked whether the latest close held near 1,342 won per dollar.

Yesterday's key world news

US Fed holds rates, signals possible December hike· Economy & Markets
The US Federal Reserve held its policy rate at 3.75-4%, with 2 of 12 members dissenting in favor of a 0.25 percentage point hike. Chair Warsh's hawkish remarks have heightened wariness about a December hike.
Reports of post-midterm strike preparations amid controversy over US-Iran negotiation letter· Geopolitics
Reports said Vice President Vance sent Iran a letter about resuming negotiations, while other reports said a week of concentrated strikes on Iran is being prepared for after the midterms. A resumption of war could send oil prices soaring and raise energy burdens for many countries.
Israeli election ends in deadlock as Netanyahu bloc falls short of majority· Politics
Netanyahu's bloc became the largest in Israel's election but fell short of a majority, with 53 seats against 48 for the opposition and 19 for Arab parties. The chance of a new election has grown, along with concern over a hard line on Iran.
High-speed train collision in Spain kills at least 68· Society
Two high-speed trains collided near Toledo, killing at least 68 people in Spain's worst rail accident since 2013. It was the second disaster on the same line this year, fueling debate over rail safety ahead of the general election.
US midterms one week away as race for Senate majority intensifies· Politics
With a week to go before the US midterms, the battle for the Senate majority has intensified, with competitive races rising to 14 and close contests even in Republican strongholds such as Texas. The outcome will shape Iran policy and the risk of lawsuits contesting results.

Full country-by-country summaries for Oct 29, 2026 (Korean) →

USD/KRW exchange rateUS 10-year Treasury yieldFed rate holdKOSPI 200Nasdaq 100WTI crude oil priceBitcoin priceUS midterm elections

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.