stocks-summary

▲ Financial data is shown on a screen inside the dealing room of Hana Bank in central Seoul, on Oct. 19, 2026, after the market opened. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Yonhap) -- Seoul shares ended higher Monday, supported by institutional buying, as investors weighed concerns over whether heavy spending on artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure would generate sufficient returns.

The Korean won was trading higher against the U.S. dollar.

After opening 3.17 percent lower, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) reversed course to close up 99.96 points, or 1.76 percent, to 5,768.01, after falling as low as 5,488.41.

Institutions bought a net 574.66 billion won (US$432 million) worth of shares, while foreign investors and retail investors sold a net 37.87 billion won and 1.09 trillion won, respectively.

Investors also remained cautious ahead of earnings reports due this week from major companies, including Tesla and Meta Platforms, as well as the Nov. 3 U.S. midterm elections, amid continued uncertainty over the outlook for interest rates, analysts said.

"Some investors appear to have bought large-cap stocks in search of bargains following sharp declines in recent weeks, helping the index move into positive territory despite reservations centered on massive spending on AI infrastructure," IBK Securities said.

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