The KOSPI has lost 19% in October. Its small-cap index has lost 4%
From 30 September to 22 October the KOSPI fell 19.1%. Large caps fell 20.1%, mid caps 8.1%, small caps 4.1%. Of 53 KOSPI-series indices, three rose: entertainment and culture (+6.9%), food and tobacco (+4.1%) and pharmaceuticals (+1.2%).
AI-assisted, human-reviewed sourcing. Figures are pulled programmatically from the official sources listed at the end of this article and checked by an editor before publication.
kospikorea stocks october 2026small capslarge capskorea sectorskospi 200
The KOSPI closed at 5,533.77 on 22 October, 19.1% below where it ended September. That is a large fall in three weeks. But it did not fall evenly.
Big stocks fell five times as far as small ones
| 30 September → 22 October | Change |
|---|---|
| KOSPI Large Cap (100 stocks) | −20.1% |
| KOSPI | −19.1% |
| KOSPI Mid Cap (200 stocks) | −8.1% |
| KOSPI excluding KOSPI 200 (625 stocks) | −6.7% |
| KOSPI Small Cap (526 stocks) | −4.1% |
The 100 largest companies lost a fifth of their value. The 526 smallest lost a twenty-fifth. The KOSPI is weighted by market value, so it moves with the large caps, and in October the large caps are mostly chips.
Where the falls were
| Index | October |
|---|---|
| KOSPI 200 Information Technology | −24.7% |
| KOSPI 200 Heavy Industries | −23.7% |
| Electrical & Electronics | −23.6% |
| Machinery & Equipment | −21.9% |
| Finance | −15.8% |
| Chemicals | −9.3% |
| Pharmaceuticals | +1.2% |
| Food, Beverages & Tobacco | +4.1% |
| Entertainment & Culture | +6.9% |
Of 53 KOSPI-series indices, three rose. Across all 171 Korea Exchange indices we compared, seven did.
The October winners were this year’s losers
Entertainment and culture is the best KOSPI index of October, up 6.9%. It is also down 40.5% for the year. Electrical and electronics, one of October’s worst, is still up 73.1% for the year. That pattern holds across all 53 KOSPI-series indices:
| Index’s year to date at 30 September | Indices | Median change in October |
|---|---|---|
| Up for the year | 37 | −15.0% |
| Down for the year | 16 | −3.6% |
The October fall has landed hardest on what had risen, and least on what had already fallen.
We also counted that most KOSPI stocks have fallen far less than the index since late August. The sector and size indices show the same thing from another side.
What this does not say
Index changes over three weeks say where the losses were, not why, and not what comes next. A small-cap index that fell 4% still fell. And a sector that rose in October can be far below where it started the year.
Korea Exchange index closes, 30 September and 22 October 2026, collected daily by SeoulMarkets; year-to-date changes as published by KRX. Not investment advice.
Data & Verification Notes
- Data as of
- Sources
- Korea Exchange (KRX OPEN API) — Index daily closes for all KOSPI, KOSDAQ and KRX series indices, 30 September and 22 October 2026, with KRX's published change since the start of the year and number of constituents. Collected daily by SeoulMarkets.
- Cross-checks
- 30 Sep → 22 Oct closes: KOSPI −19.1%; KOSPI Large Cap −20.1%; KOSPI Mid Cap −8.1%; KOSPI Small Cap −4.1%; KOSPI 200 −20.7%; KOSPI 200 excluding the largest constituents −13.7%; KOSPI excluding KOSPI 200 −6.7%.
- Weakest KOSPI-series indices: KOSPI 200 Information Technology −24.7%; KOSPI 200 Heavy Industries −23.7%; Electrical & Electronics −23.6%; Machinery & Equipment −21.9%.
- Only KOSPI-series indices up: Entertainment & Culture +6.9% (year to date −40.5%); Food, Beverages & Tobacco +4.1%; Pharmaceuticals +1.2%. Across all 171 KRX, KOSPI and KOSDAQ indices compared, 7 rose.
- Year to date (KRX's figure, 22 Oct): KOSPI +31.3%; Electrical & Electronics +73.1%; KOSPI Small Cap −9.5%; KOSPI Mid Cap +0.5%.
- Of 53 KOSPI-series indices, 37 were up for the year on 30 September; their median October change was −15.0%. The 16 that were down for the year had a median October change of −3.6%.
- Excluded figures
- Index weights and which stocks drove each move; this piece compares index closes only.
- 23 October, not yet in our daily file when we wrote.
- This is not investment advice.
The full dataset behind these figures — every listed company, every row — is available to license. SeoulMarkets data for licence →
Not investment advice. SMarkets publishes data journalism for general information only. Nothing here is investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any security — any investment you make is at your own risk and responsibility. Figures are derived from official public data sources and may be revised by the issuing agency. Verify independently before acting.
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