Seoul stocks shrug off Fed hike, but won weakens sharply

Seoul stocks held largely steady Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate for the first time in more than three years. The Korean won, however, weakened sharply as the rate gap with the United States widened and demand for dollars rose. KOSPI closed at 6,715.41, down 0.04 percent, while the won fell 13.6 won to 1,382.2 per dollar. The Kosdaq ended at 822.18, up 0.76 percent.

The Federal Reserve raised its key rate by a quarter percentage point to a range of 3.75 percent to 4 percent.

The won returned to the 1,380 won level for the first time in three weeks after closing at 1,382.2 won per dollar.

Retail investors were net buyers of 413.7 billion won, and institutions bought a net 158.7 billion won.

Foreign investors sold a net 2.28 trillion won, extending their selling streak after the Korea-U.S. rate gap moved back above 1 percentage point.

The probability of another rate hike in December, followed by an additional increase next March, rose to 81.1 percent from 69.3 percent, according to KB Securities analyst Kim Il-hyuk.

Published Sep 17, 2026 4:22 pm KST

A stock ticker at Hana Bank's headquarters in Seoul shows the benchmark KOSPI closing at 6,715.41, down 0.04 percent from the previous session, Thursday. Yonhap

Seoul stocks held largely steady Thursday after the U.S. Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate for the first time in more than three years, as the move was largely anticipated and already priced into the market.

The Korean won, however, weakened sharply against the dollar as the widening Korea-U.S. interest rate gap and the prospect of further Fed tightening boosted demand for dollars.

The Fed raised its key rate by a quarter percentage point to a range of 3.75 percent to 4 percent. In the Seoul foreign exchange market, the local currency lost 13.6 won in value to close at 1,382.2 won per dollar, returning to the 1,380 won level for the first time in three weeks.

“The Fed’s rate hike, combined with persistently high international oil prices, is adding to upward pressure on the dollar,” said Moon Da-woon, an analyst at Korea Investment & Securities. “Upward pressure on the won-dollar exchange rate is likely to persist until the U.S. midterm elections in early November.”

The benchmark KOSPI opened 0.91 percent higher at 6,779.02 and stayed modestly in the positive territory for most of the session before slipping into negative territory in the final minutes. It closed at 6,715.41, down 0.04 percent.

Retail investors and institutions were net buyers of 413.7 billion won ($299.4 million) and 158.7 billion won, respectively. Foreign investors, by contrast, sold a net 2.28 trillion won, extending their selling streak as the latest Fed move pushed the Korea-U.S. rate gap back above 1 percentage point.

The wider rate differential and stronger dollar could continue to weigh on Korean equities by encouraging foreign capital outflows, analysts said. The latest Fed move is also fueling expectations that the central bank has entered a renewed tightening cycle rather than making a one-off adjustment.

“The probability of another rate hike in December, followed by an additional increase next March, has risen sharply to 81.1 percent from 69.3 percent,” said Kim Il-hyuk, an analyst at KB Securities. “The market is shifting toward a view that this is not a temporary increase limited to one or two hikes, but the resumption of a rate-hike cycle involving three or more increases.”

The secondary bourse Kosdaq was slightly firmer, closing at 822.18, up 0.76 percent.

Fed rate hike puts BOK under pressure over further rate increase

周四，在美联储三年多来首次加息后，首尔股市基本保持稳定。然而，由于韩美利率差扩大，美元需求上升，韩元大幅走弱。韩国综合股价指数（KOSPI）收于6715.41点，下跌0.04%；韩元兑美元汇率下跌13.6韩元，至1382.2韩元。韩国创业板指数（KOSDAQ）收于822.18点，上涨0.76%。

美联储将基准利率上调0.25个百分点，至3.75%至4%的区间。

韩元兑美元汇率收于1382.2韩元，三周以来首次回落至1380韩元水平。

散户投资者净买入 4137 亿韩元，机构投资者净买入 1587 亿韩元。

外国投资者净卖出 2.28 万亿韩元，在韩美利率差重回 1 个百分点以上后，他们的抛售势头仍在继续。

据 KB 证券分析师金日赫 (Kim Il-hyuk) 称，12 月份再次加息，明年 3 月份再次加息的可能性从 69.3% 上升至 81.1%。

发布于2026年9月17日下午4:22（韩国标准时间）

韩联社报道，位于首尔韩亚银行总部的股票行情显示屏显示，韩国综合股价指数（KOSPI）周四收于6715.41点，较前一交易日下跌0.04%。

周四，在美联储三年多来首次提高基准利率后，首尔股市基本保持稳定，因为这一举措在很大程度上已被市场预期并已反映在价格中。

然而，由于韩美利率差距扩大以及美联储进一步收紧货币政策的前景提振了对美元的需求，韩元对美元大幅走弱。

美联储将基准利率上调0.25个百分点，至3.75%至4%的区间。首尔外汇市场，韩元兑美元汇率下跌13.6韩元，收于1382.2韩元，三周以来首次跌至1380韩元关口。

韩国投资证券分析师文多云表示：“美联储加息，加上国际油价持续高企，加剧了美元的上行压力。韩元兑美元汇率的上行压力可能会持续到11月初的美国中期选举。”

韩国综合股价指数（KOSPI）开盘上涨0.91%，报6779.02点，并在大部分交易时段保持小幅上涨，但在最后几分钟转跌。最终收于6715.41点，下跌0.04%。

散户投资者和机构投资者分别净买入4137亿韩元（约合2.994亿美元）和1587亿韩元。相比之下，外国投资者净卖出2.28万亿韩元，延续了抛售势头，原因是美联储的最新举措将韩美利率差推高至1个百分点以上。

分析人士表示，利差扩大和美元走强可能继续打压韩国股市，因为这将促使外资外流。美联储的最新举措也加剧了市场预期，即美联储已进入新一轮紧缩周期，而非进行一次性调整。

KB证券分析师金日赫表示：“12月再次加息，明年3月再次加息的概率已从69.3%大幅上升至81.1%。市场正在转变观点，认为这并非仅限于一两次加息的临时性加息，而是涉及三次或更多次加息的加息周期的重启。”

韩国第二大证券交易所 Kosdaq 指数略微走强，收于 822.18 点，上涨 0.76%。

美联储加息令韩国央行面临进一步加息的压力