The benchmark KOSPI fell 0.30% to around 3,177 on Thursday, extending losses for a second consecutive session, as declines in chipmakers and financial firms weighed on the index. Sentiment remained fragile after weaker-than-expected US inflation data continued to weigh on domestic investor sentiment. The softer inflation print led market participants to reassess the outlook for US monetary policy, triggering risk-off moves in equities. Amid the downturn, diplomatic efforts to strengthen South Korea’s international economic engagement continued as Ambassador Bakuramutsa Nkubito Manzi pointed to strong potential for expanded cooperation between South Korea and Rwanda, particularly in AI, cybersecurity, digital trade, and green mobility. With Africa accounting for only 1.5% of South Korea’s GDP, boosting trade could meaningfully support economic growth. In the corporate sector, notable losses were from SK Hynix (6.42%), Shinhan Financial Group (1.15%), and KB Financial Group (0.53%).