Seoul stocks open higher despite Fed rate hike

Key facts

• Seoul stocks opened higher on Thursday, September 17, 2026.
• The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) opened up 61.05 points, or 0.91 percent, to 6,779.02.
• The gains were led by technology stocks.
• The Federal Reserve raised its base rate by 0.25 percentage points to a range of 3.75% and 4%.
• This was the Fed's first rate hike since 2023.

Seoul stocks opened higher on Thursday, September 17, 2026, snapping a four-day losing streak as bargain hunters focused on tech and semiconductor shares. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) rose 61.05 points, or 0.91 percent, to 6,779.02.

The gains occurred despite the U.S. Federal Reserve's decision to implement its first interest rate hike in over three years. The Fed increased its base rate by a quarter percentage point, bringing the target range to 3.75% to 4%, in an effort to combat inflationary pressures. Major stock indexes on Wall Street had closed down overnight following the announcement.