South Korea's KOSPI Plunges 7.6 Percent to Its Lowest Level Since Late July

South Korea's KOSPI closed down 7.57 percent at about 5,554 points on Thursday, 23 Mehr 1405 (October 15, 2026), its seventh straight losing session and its lowest level since late July. According to Trading Economics, Samsung Electronics fell 9.48 percent and SK hynix 10.85 percent, and foreign investors remained net sellers. Arzdigital also reported that a sell-side halt and a temporary trading stoppage were triggered during the slide.

Two main worries drove the sell-off: valuations and financing costs for AI spending, and hotter-than-expected US inflation. The annual rate for September came in at 3.7 percent against a 3.6 percent forecast, reviving fears of another Federal Reserve rate hike. The KOSPI's record high was 9,385.59 points in June 2026. For Iran's market the move signals selling pressure in risk assets worldwide, which reached bitcoin and ether in the same hours.