The Kospi opened sharply higher on Sept. 18, 2026, gaining 150.53 points, or 2.24%, to 6,865.94 by 9:15 a.m. Falling oil prices and the Federal Reserve’s quarter-percentage-point rate increase helped ease inflation concerns and supported broader investor sentiment. Wall Street’s S&P 500 rose 1.14% and the Nasdaq gained 1.69% overnight, while Brent crude fell almost 1% to around $104 per barrel. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix led gains among major Seoul-listed companies, while KB Financial declined. The Korean won weakened 0.1 won against the U.S. dollar to 1,381.4 won.