TradingKey - Japanese market closed for holiday, South Korea's KOSPI index reclaims 7,000 mark, Samsung Electronics surges nearly 5%.

During the Asian session on September 21, Japanese markets were closed for a holiday with no trading, while South Korea performed strongly. The KOSPI Index rose early in the session before pulling back, then gradually rebounded to close up 1.65%, reclaiming the 7,000 mark at 7,007.72 points; two major heavyweights gained in tandem, with Samsung Electronics surging 4.98% to close at 274,000 won, and SK Hynix rising 0.59% to 1,868,000 won.

KOSPI Index chart, Source: TradingView

The Nikkei 225 Index rose 1.38%, reclaiming the 65,000 level to close at 65,018.73 points; both major heavyweights advanced, with Kioxia surging 9.4% to close at 54,570 yen and SoftBank rising 1.09% to 6,315 yen.

The high momentum in the AI chip supply chain remains a core pillar of the KOSPI. If the South Korean government continues to promote its Corporate Value-up Program and improve capital market governance, it will help further alleviate the 'Korea discount.' Going forward, key focus areas include geopolitical risks, whether global consumer electronics demand fully recovers, and the impact of exchange rate fluctuations on the earnings of South Korean exporters.

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