South Korea: Stocks Climb on Big-Cap Gains.

The benchmark KOSPI rose 0.54% to around 4,026 on Thursday, trimming losses from previous sessions as large-cap stocks rebounded following a sharp sell-off, buoyed by overnight gains on Wall Street. Notable gains were SK Hynix (2.42%), LG Energy Solution (4.96%), and KB Financial Group (4.36%), while Samsung Electronics (-0.60%) and Doosan Enerbility (-3.95%) posted losses. Adding to the momentum, investors digested data showing South Korea’s current account surplus rose to a September high, supported by robust exports and higher dividend income. The surplus reached US$13.47 billion, up from $9.15 billion in August, marking the largest September figure on record and the second-highest monthly surplus overall. Meanwhile, Naver announced its plans to invest $692.9 million next year to expand its AI infrastructure. The announcement bolstered investor sentiment in the tech sector, suggesting potential gains for large-cap tech stocks.