Japanese and South Korean equities extended their losses! The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) plunged 3%, while Xtrackers MSCI Korea UCITS ETF (02848.HK) sank over 4.5% in afternoon trading.

NewTimeSpace News: On March 26, Japanese and South Korean equities extended declines, with the Nikkei 225 Index falling over 1% and the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) plunging 3%.Xtrackers MSCI Korea UCITS ETF (02848.HK)sank more than 4.5% in afternoon trading.

According to a monthly survey by theFederation of Korean Industries (FKI), the Business Survey Index (BSI) for the nation's top 600 companies by sales stood at85.1for April, dropping sharply from102.7in March.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) data shows thatXtrackers MSCI Korea UCITS ETF (02848.HK)tracks theMSCI Korea 20/35 Custom Index, a "capped index" designed by MSCI to comply with EU UCITS fund regulatory requirements. While maintaining representation and investability across South Korea's large- and mid-cap equity markets, the index mitigates single-company concentration risk through hard weight caps. Major constituents includeSK Hynix, Samsung Electronics, NAVER, Hyundai Motor, and Shinhan Financial Group, all ranking among the top ten holdings.

Krystal Tan, economist atANZ, noted that South Korea's headline inflation could remain well above the Bank of Korea's 2% target this year amid rising energy costs. In a research report, she wrote that with the Middle East conflict continuing to drive oil prices and shipping premiums higher, inflation is now expected to hover closer to3% than 2%for much of 2026. She anticipates the Bank of Korea will deliver a25 basis point rate hikein the second half to anchor inflation expectations.

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