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StocksMediumUpdated•Originally published 22 October 2026•Updated 22 October 2026•
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South Korea's KOSPI Deepens Losses to 2.25% as AI Spending Doubts Grow

Key Facts

1The KOSPI index fell by 2.06% to 5,617.28 during morning trading.
2Institutional investors were net sellers of 163.5 billion won.
3Large-cap stocks including Samsung Electronics and SK hynix declined in the 3% range.

The South Korean KOSPI index fell 2.25% to 5,605.54 during late-morning trading on October 22, 2026. Chosunbiz reported that the decline followed renewed doubts regarding artificial intelligence spending, which accelerated losses after institutional investors recorded net sales of 163.5 billion won.

The sell-off hit major technology constituents, with Samsung Electronics and SK hynix declining in the 3% range. SMSN.L closed at $4,174 on October 21, 2026, while SKHY closed at $143.25 on the same date, as institutional outflows in the KOSDAQ market reached 49.4 billion won amid heightened volatility in the semiconductor sector.

Market participants are looking ahead to South Korea's GDP Growth Rate release scheduled for October 26, 2026, followed by the Business Confidence index on October 28, 2026.

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