Kospi plunges 8.2% after Apple and Microsoft price hikes
South Korea's Kospi index took a sharp 8.2% dive on Friday, triggering a short trading pause.
The big reason? Rising costs for AI tech and chips are shaking up markets everywhere, especially after Apple and Microsoft raised their prices to keep up.
The Kospi, heavily tied to the semiconductor industry, has been extra jumpy lately, with wild swings that have everyone watching closely.
Despite $95B outflows Kospi up 62%
The steep fall was mostly driven by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which together make up more than half of the Kospi's value; their shares dropped over 6% each in one day.
Even with $95 billion in foreign money leaving this year and regulators keeping an eye on risky trading, everyday investors are still stepping in.
Despite all this chaos, the Kospi is actually up 62% for the quarter, showing just how much AI hype is powering the market right now, even as costs keep climbing.