stocks-summary

▲ Financial data is shown on a screen inside the dealing room of Hana Bank in central Seoul on Oct. 21, 2026, after the market opened. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Oct. 21 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks rebounded Wednesday, recovering from the previous session's steep losses as semiconductor shares rallied on easing concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) spending. The Korean won strengthened against the U.S. dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) gained 182.92 points, or 3.29 percent, to close at 5,735.66 after rising as high as 5,816.43.

The sharp rally prompted the Korea Exchange (KRX) to activate a buy-side sidecar shortly before 11 a.m., temporarily suspending program buying for five minutes after KOSPI 200 futures rose more than 5 percent. It marked the first such activation in two months.

The rebound came after the main index plunged nearly 4 percent the previous session amid renewed concerns over massive AI infrastructure spending.

Investor sentiment improved after better-than-expected earnings from U.S. AI server maker Super Micro Computer helped ease worries over AI-related investments, lifting shares of chip giants Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.

Overnight, U.S. stocks closed mixed, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 1.02 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite slipped 0.02 percent.

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