The KOSPI stood at 6,899.33 at 1:30 p.m. on the 27th, up 91.12 points, or 1.34%, after briefly reaching 6,996.12 at the open. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix led gains alongside power-equipment and battery stocks, helped by strong Nvidia earnings, but the advance was narrowly based: 304 main-board stocks rose while 565 fell. Retail investors were net sellers of 1.676 trillion won ($1.15 billion), while foreign investors bought 94.7 billion won and institutions 380.3 billion won. Other corporations purchased more than 1 trillion won, driven by buybacks at Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) and SK hynix (000660.KS), but the flows were concentrated in the two largest stocks by market capitalization. The Bank of Korea raised its growth forecast to 3.3% from 2.6% and its base rate to 3.00% from 2.75%, its second consecutive increase, intensifying concerns about liquidity. The KOSDAQ rose 0.99% to 835.07 after briefly turning negative. Analysts called the session a textbook case of index distortion, with large-cap chip stocks rising as rate-sensitive and retail-heavy shares weakened.