South Korea: Shares Snap Record Rally.

The benchmark KOSPI fell more than 3% to around 7,540 on Tuesday, snapping a record-setting run, as investors locked in profits following the recent surge toward the 8,000 mark. Sentiment also turned cautious after US President Donald Trump warned that the Iran ceasefire was on “massive life support,” reviving concerns over disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and higher oil prices. Large-cap performance was mixed, with Samsung Electronics (-0.2%), LG Energy Solution (-2.9%), and Hanwha Aerospace (-1.4%) declining, while SK Hynix (2.5%), Hyundai Motor (4.3%), and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (4.2%) advanced. Still, support remained from continued optimism over the AI-driven semiconductor boom after major Wall Street chip stocks extended gains overnight. Investors also assessed upbeat domestic growth expectations after Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said South Korea’s economy is likely to grow by more than 2% this year on strong semiconductor exports and record current account surpluses.