South Korea overtakes UK as world's 8th largest stock market

Business Apr 28, 2026

South Korea has jumped ahead of the UK to become the world's eighth-largest stock market, thanks mostly to a massive boom in AI-focused tech stocks.
Korean companies' total market value shot up by more than 45% this year, reaching $4.04 trillion, while the U.K.'s grew just 3%, now at $3.99 trillion.

Goldman Sachs raises Kospi target

Big names like Samsung and SK Hynix, together making up more than 40% of Korea's main stock index, are leading this growth, boosted by worldwide excitement around AI.
Supportive government reforms and pro-market policies have helped too.
Wall Street strategists are feeling upbeat, with Goldman Sachs raising its Kospi target to 8,000, mainly driven by a more than 200% increase in its 2026 earnings growth projection.