# Foreign and Institutional Selling Pushes South Korea’s KOSPI Below 5,500

By Enna Lee

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/investing/35495
Published: 2026-10-20T09:30:35.000Z
Updated: 2026-10-20T09:30:35.000Z
Section: Investing

> The index fell as much as 4.76% intraday after a two-session rebound, while individual investors bought shares on net.

Foreign and institutional investors sold South Korean shares as the benchmark KOSPI slipped below 5,500 during the Oct. 20 session, reversing a two-session rebound and highlighting pressure on Asian equities.

The index fell as much as 4.76% intraday. Foreign investors and domestic institutions were both net sellers. Pension funds and financial investment firms were among the institutional groups selling shares.

Individual investors and other companies bought shares on net in the same intraday snapshot. Foreign investors’ net sales exceeded the institutional total, while individual investors’ net purchases exceeded either group’s sales. That buying did not prevent the index from temporarily losing the 5,500 level.

Battery makers that had helped lead the previous session’s rebound also retreated. The renewed decline came amid higher U.S. Treasury yields and a weak first trading day for a data-center company.

The KOSPI tracks South Korea’s main stock market, making the decline a significant move in Asian equities for U.S. readers following global risk sentiment.