Seoul stocks dip over 3 pct amid U.S.-Iran talks uncertainties

▲ Traders work inside the dealing room of Hana Bank in central Seoul on March 26, 2026. (Yonhap)

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Seoul stocks dip over 3 pct amid U.S.-Iran talks uncertainties

SEOUL, March 26 (Yonhap) -- Seoul stocks plunged by more than 3 percent Thursday as investors closely watch the developments in peace talks between the United States and Iran. The Korean won fell against the U.S. dollar.

The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 181.75 points, or 3.22 percent, to 5,460.46.

Trade volume was moderate at 902.9 million shares worth 24.1 trillion won (US$15.9 billion). Losers outnumbered winners 662 to 226.

Foreigners continued their selling binge by offloading a net 3.1 trillion won, while institutional investors sold off a net 338.7 billion won. Individual investors purchased a net 3.06 trillion won.

"Uncertainties over the Middle East situation and the semiconductor market weighed on the market," said Lee Kyoung-min, an analyst from Daishin Securities.

On Wednesday (local time), the U.S. and Iran have diverged on talks over their monthlong war. The White House has claimed talks with Tehran are proceeding apace, while a top Iranian official said there were exchanges of "messages" but questioned negotiations.

Semiconductors also came under selling pressure after Google's new artificial intelligence (AI) compression algorithm, TurboQuant, fueled concerns that demand for memory chips may decrease in the near future.

Most large caps closed lower, with semiconductors leading the market decline.

Chip giant Samsung Electronics retreated 4.71 percent to 180,100 won, while its chipmaking rival SK hynix dipped 6.23 percent to 933,000 won.

In contrast, major chemical company Lotte Chemical rose 0.88 percent to 80,500 won after Iran's top envoy to South Korea said Korea is a non-adversarial country, and its vessels could pass through the Strait of Hormuz under prior coordination with Tehran.

KB Financial added 1.87 percent to 152,200 won, while Shinhan Holdings, another major financial group, moved up 1.41 percent to 93,400 won.

The local currency was quoted at 1,507 won against the U.S. dollar as of 3:30 p.m., down 7.3 won from the previous session.

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