KOSPI Plunges 3.73%, Why Did U.S. Tech Stocks Rise? Is a Chip Rebound Coming?

KOSPI closed at 5,552.74, down 3.73% in a single day.

To read the KOSPI outlook, start with yesterday's numbers.

KOSDAQ also fell 3.33% and closed at 781.97.

Overnight, though, the U.S. told a somewhat different story.

Retail investor:

"It dropped that much yesterday, so will it bounce today...?"

No one can say that for certain.

What you can check this morning are the numbers.

(Data collected at 8:20 a.m. on October 21)

October 20 KOSPI Close: How Far Did It Fall?

KOSPI: 5,552.74 (-3.73%)

KOSDAQ: 781.97 (-3.33%)

SK Hynix: -5.72%

Hanmi Semiconductor: -4.72%

Both indices fell more than 3% together.

In the headlines' words, it was "KOSPI near 5,500."

HBM-related stocks slid together.

HBM is high-performance memory that sits beside AI chips and passes data along quickly.

A headline also read "Nvidia plunges on AI selloff."

AI investment anxiety even showed up in crypto market coverage.

When semiconductors, which carry a big index weight, fall, KOSPI struggles to hold up.

KOSDAQ Crashed, So Why Did Only Robot Stocks Jump?

A headline read "Robots alone jumped even as the index crashed 3%."

However, across the physical AI and humanoid stocks as a whole, declines dominated.

BigWave Robotics alone was reportedly a "pillar of fire."

The same day, humanoid robot stocks surged in China on a national standard announcement and OpenAI's entry.

Only some names jumped, not the whole theme.

On volatile days like this, this gap is worth remembering.

Overnight in the U.S., Did Tech Hold Up?

Consumer Discretionary: +1.78%

IT and Semiconductors: +1.36%

Materials: +0.06%

Financials: -0.83%

Real Estate: -1.16%

Utilities: -2.01%

Tech and consumer sectors rose, while defensive sectors fell.

Retail investor:

"So will our chip stocks rise today too?"

U.S. IT sector strength and a Korean chip rebound are separate questions.

The Nvidia plunge headline was hanging in the background...

I watch SK Hynix's first moves right after the open.

Ahead of the FOMC, What Is the Market Watching?

Polymarket bets on an October rate hold: 86%

Bitcoin: recovered to the $83,000 range

Bitcoin and Ethereum spot ETFs weekly outflows: $549 million

Prediction markets are where people bet money on outcomes.

Expectations lean heavily toward a hold.

Crypto is mixed, with recovery and outflow headlines clashing.

As the meeting date approaches, the market may grow more sensitive.

You can check the schedule in advance at Market Calendar.

So, Up or Down?

Downside pressure

• KOSPI: -3.73%, down to the 5,500 level
• HBM-related stocks: Hynix -5.72%, AI anxiety
• Crypto spot ETFs: weekly outflows of $549 million

Holding up

• U.S. IT and Semiconductors: +1.36%, tech strength
• U.S. Consumer Discretionary: +1.78%, top sector
• Rate hold bets: 86%, expectations tilted one way

The KOSPI outlook ultimately depends on whether chips today follow the U.S. tech move.

Just take this as reference.

PickStock 💡

※ Investment decisions and responsibility rest with the investor.
※ Figures are as of the time of writing and may change.
※ This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice.