Key facts
- Seoul stocks opened sharply lower on Thursday.
- A sell-off in U.S. semiconductor shares weighed on market sentiment.
- Major U.S. stock indexes closed mixed on Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
- The S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell due to tech stock weakness.
- The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged down slightly on Wednesday.
- Bond market gains provided some support to U.S. stocks.
- A weaker manufacturing report influenced the bond market.
- South Korea's bourse operator activated a sell-side sidecar for the KOSPI index.
- Program trading for KOSPI-listed shares was suspended for five minutes.
- Investors assessed remarks from Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh.
- Investors remained cautious over U.S.-Iran talks.
Seoul stocks opened sharply lower on Thursday, July 2, 2026, as a sell-off in U.S. semiconductor shares negatively influenced market sentiment. This tech sector weakness also affected major U.S. stock indexes on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq falling while the Dow Jones Industrial Average saw a slight decrease. The decline in the KOSPI index was significant enough to trigger the activation of a sell-side sidecar by South Korea's bourse operator. This measure led to a temporary suspension of program trading for KOSPI-listed shares for five minutes. Investors are also factoring in cautious remarks from Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh and are remaining watchful of ongoing U.S.-Iran talks, which are contributing to a general sense of caution in the markets. Bond market gains provided some support to U.S. stocks following a weaker manufacturing report, but this was not enough to offset the losses in the technology sector.