{
  "id": 13832449,
  "title": "Seoul shares open lower on inflation, Mideast woes",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/seoul-shares-open-lower-on-inflation-mideast-woes-13832449",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-12T00:42:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/economy/20261012/seoul-shares-open-lower-on-inflation-mideast-woes"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Seoul's stock market opened lower on Monday due to losses in technology stocks, exacerbated by inflationary concerns driven by high oil prices and a growing Middle East conflict. The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 1.26 percent to 6,542.21 as of 9:15 a.m., slipping 0.72 percent from its opening. Despite Wall Street's overnight gain, the decline persisted. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.83 percent for the day, and the tech-focused Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.64 percent. Oil prices surged as tensions in the Middle East intensified following renewed Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia's principal airport over the weekend. A wider region-wide conflict could further strain energy supplies, exacerbating inflation and prompting the Federal Reserve to tighten monetary policy. In Seoul, technology companies were the primary culprits behind the market's downward trajectory. Samsung Electronics, a major player, slipped 0.95 percent, while its rival chipmaker SK hynix fell 2.71 percent. Defense conglomerate Hanwha Aerospace declined 2.13 percent, and top shipbuilder HD Hyundai Heavy Industries plummeted 4.04 percent.",
  "summary": "Seoul shares opened lower Monday, as losses in technology stocks weighed on the market amid inflation concerns stoked by elevated oil prices and the escalating Middle East crisis. After opening 0.72 percent lower, the benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) fell 83.72 points, or 1.26 percent, to 6,542.21 as of 9:15 a.m. The decline came despite overnight gains on Wall Street. The Dow…",
  "key_points": [
    "Seoul stock market opened lower 1.26% on Monday",
    "Inflation and Middle East conflict driving concerns",
    "Tech stocks and energy prices key factors"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Geopolitical instability and rising energy costs are forcing South Korean investors to retreat from major technology and industrial stocks as fears of persistent inflation weigh on market sentiment.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yonhap News",
        "title": "(URGENT) Seoul shares open lower on inflation, Midest woes",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/urgent-seoul-shares-open-lower-on-inflation-midest-woes",
        "published": "2026-10-12T00:01:39.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Seoul shares open lower on inflation, Mideast woes",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/seoul-shares-open-lower-on-inflation-mideast-woes-13829019",
        "published": "2026-10-12T00:22:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}