The KOSPI index triggered a 20-minute trading halt after falling 8% as SK Hynix’s ADR dropped below USD 140.
South Korea’s financial regulators suspended trading on the KOSPI index for 20 minutes after the benchmark plunged more than 8%, its eighth circuit-breaker activation this year. The halt followed a sharp decline in SK Hynix’s U.S.-listed ADR, which fell below USD 140 to USD 139.45, a 11.89% drop over 24 hours.
SK Hynix, a major memory-chip manufacturer and key supplier for AI processors, has been under pressure amid broader market volatility. The KOSPI’s decline reflects concerns over semiconductor demand and global economic uncertainty.
The trading halt is part of automatic measures to curb excessive volatility in the market.