Key Takeaways (July 31, 2026)
- KOSPI Surges Historic 17.91% (+1,001 Pts): South Korea’s KOSPI posted the largest single-day percentage and point surge in its history, closing at 6,595.45 after upside circuit breakers and buy-side program trading sidecars were activated nationwide.
- Super-Giants Lead Epic Rally: SK Hynix jumped 18.4% and Samsung Electronics surged 14.2% as U.S. Big Tech AI cloud earnings disproved AI infrastructure spending growth doubts.
- Taiwan Taiex Rocketed 7.98% (+3,186 Pts): Taiwan’s Taiex recorded its largest-ever single-day point gain to close at 43,119.75 with TSMC hitting its daily price ceiling, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 surged 4.03% to 64,362.02.
- Won Rallies & BOJ Holds Rates: USD/KRW plunged 27.40 won to 1,455.20 KRW amid record net foreign stock purchases, while the Bank of Japan maintained interest rates steady.
Asian stock markets staged an extraordinary, historic surge on Friday, July 31, 2026. A powerful wave of global bargain hunting and short covering — triggered by strong U.S. Big Tech AI cloud revenue figures — unleashed unprecedented buying across Asian technology exporters. South Korea and Taiwan recorded their largest single-day gains in market history, concluding a volatile month with an explosive rally.
Major Asian Market Indices Summary
Below is the summary of major Asian stock market performances as of the market close on July 31, 2026 (as of 15:30 KST):
| Index | Closing Value | Change (Pts) | Change (%) | Status / Timestamp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOSPI (South Korea) | 6,595.45 | +1,001.89 | +17.91% | Closed (15:30 KST) |
| KOSDAQ (South Korea) | 742.60 | +90.70 | +13.91% | Closed (15:30 KST) |
| Nikkei 225 (Japan) | 64,362.02 | +2,494.59 | +4.03% | Closed (15:00 JST) |
| Taiex (Taiwan) | 43,119.75 | +3,186.45 | +7.98% | Closed (13:30 NST) |
| Hang Seng (Hong Kong) | 25,884.43 | +25.55 | +0.10% | Closed (16:00 HKT) |
South Korea: Record KOSPI Surge Erases Recent Panic Losses
The South Korean stock market experienced an historic trading day. The benchmark KOSPI index rocketed 17.91% (+1,001.89 points) to close at 6,595.45, while the KOSDAQ surged 13.91% to 742.60. Early morning buying pressure triggered nationwide program trading sidecars and Level 1 Circuit Breakers on the upside.
Memory chip super-giants surged at unprecedented velocity: SK Hynix skyrocketed 18.4% and Samsung Electronics soared 14.2%. Record foreign net buying turned Korea’s benchmark into the world’s top-performing index for the session, completely wiping out the losses sustained during the earlier “Black Tuesday” crash.
Taiwan, Japan & Hong Kong: Taiex Record & BOJ Rate Hold Support Bourses
Taiwan’s Taiex index registered its largest single-day point gain in history, skyrocketing 7.98% (+3,186.45 points) to finish at 43,119.75. TSMC and MediaTek hit their daily 10% upward price limits as global foundry demand concerns vanished.
Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 4.03% (+2,494.59 points) to 64,362.02. The Bank of Japan (BOJ) kept monetary policy rates unchanged as expected, providing liquidity stability for exporter equities. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index edged up 0.10% to 25,884.43, marking its fifth straight session of gains.
Cross-Asset Snapshot: Won Strengthens & Oil Eases
Macroeconomic metrics across Asian trading hours reflected intense foreign capital inflows into regional assets:
- Foreign Exchange: USD/KRW plummeted 27.40 won to close near 1,455.20 KRW as foreign investors executed aggressive currency conversions to fund stock purchases. USD/JPY settled at 162.90 JPY following the BOJ rate hold.
- Crude Oil & Yields: WTI Crude oil eased to $82.80 per barrel, mitigating immediate CPI inflation concerns. U.S. 10-year Treasury yields settled near 4.55%.
Key Investor Checkpoints Ahead
Investors will continue tracking major employment and inflation indicators over the upcoming sessions:
- August 7, 2026: U.S. Employment Situation Report (Nonfarm Payrolls & Unemployment Rate) — See schedule at U.S. Data Release Schedule.
- August 12, 2026: U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI Inflation).
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