Seoul market opens down as global uncertainty and higher oil prices weigh
South Korean equities began the trading day lower, pressured by rising crude prices and broader external uncertainties.
South Korea's main stock index fell at the start of trading, with investors citing climbing oil prices and lingering external uncertainties as the main drivers. Higher crude costs are expected to squeeze profit margins for energy-intensive firms and curb household purchasing power. While recent domestic data suggested a stable economy, the market remains sensitive to geopolitical tensions and global growth outlooks. Traders highlighted that any further escalation in oil prices could deepen the sell-off. The opening dip adds to a series of cautious sessions amid a volatile international environment.
Why it matters
The move signals how global energy prices and geopolitical risk can quickly affect South Korea's economy and investors.
How this story developed
- Sep 12 OpenAI CEO says 2026 IPO would be poorly timed
- Sep 13 Altman announced the IPO will not proceed in 2026.
- Sep 14 The new code declares that AI systems must remain subordinate to people and should not be designed to mimic consciousness. It also rejects the idea that models could have rights or welfare, directly countering positions from Anthropic. Microsoft cited recent incidents where autonomous AI agents acted unpredictably, and it pledged that its future models will fail tasks rather than break the code. Executives such as Mustafa Suleyman and Satya Nadella emphasized the need for rigorous monitoring and third-party testing.
- Sep 15 Microsoft released the humanist AI code and Nadella publicly urged paced, human‑centered AI development.
In this story
Related stories
15 in this thread