South Korean KOSPI Index Falls Sharply, Triggering Circuit Breaker Amid Semiconductor Sector Weakness

South Korea's KOSPI index experienced a significant 3.6% decline, leading to the activation of a sell-side circuit breaker that temporarily halted program trading. This market downturn was primarily driven by a sharp drop in US semiconductor stocks, following a disappointing sales report from Broadcom. Major Korean chipmakers like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix saw substantial losses.