The KOSPI 6000 era is just around the corner... Can it ride the warm breeze of US economic indicators?

As the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) is finally approaching the 6,000-point milestone, news of rising U.S. consumer confidence is impacting the Korean stock market. Coupled with sustained large-scale net buying in financial investments after the Lunar New Year holiday, the market is closely watching whether the index can truly break through the coveted 6,000-point level.

The U.S. February Consumer Confidence Index rose to 91.2, up 2.2 points from the previous month, further boosting the stock market. The Consumer Confidence Index measures the average consumer’s outlook on the current economic situation and future prospects. This increase has driven major U.S. stock indices higher. Especially, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite surged significantly, positively influencing the Korean market as well.

Despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to implement global tariffs, the Korean market continued to rise, supported by large-scale institutional buying. On that day, institutions net bought 23.745 trillion won on the Korea Exchange, with significant investments in the electrical and electronic sectors, including Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. As a result, the stock prices of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix both surpassed the 200,000 won and 1 million won marks, respectively.

Additionally, developments related to artificial intelligence companies also sent positive signals to the market. With Anthropic announcing partnerships with some tech firms, investor sentiment toward tech stocks is improving. Experts believe that while this trend requires caution in the short term, it could lead to significant long-term changes in the market landscape.

Market participants are considering the possibility of the KOSPI breaking through 6,000 points, but they remain highly cautious about profit-taking pressures after a sharp rise and the concentration of funds in specific investment targets. These factors could increase future market volatility, and investors should be prepared. Therefore, maintaining an investment strategy focused on leading stocks seems necessary at this stage.