Kospi Gains as Chip Buybacks Offset Broad Investor Selling

South Korea's Kospi closed at 6,835.8 points on Tuesday, up 0.23%, as buyback-driven gains in Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix offset net selling from foreign, institutional, and retail investors alike.

The index marked its second straight gain, having opened 0.52% lower after fresh U.S.-Iran airstrikes and a hawkish Fed speech from Chair Kevin Warsh unsettled global markets. The Kospi has since recovered from a session low near 6,617 on Monday.

Chip Stocks Reverse an Early Slide

Wall Street had fallen overnight, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 0.7% and the S&P 500 off 0.33%, after Warsh's Jackson Hole speech fanned concerns over a possible rate hike at the Fed's meeting later this month.

However, the Kospi erased those losses in the afternoon as government data showed Korea's August exports stayed solid on strong chip demand, extending the Kospi's chip-driven rally. Samsung rose 0.38% and SK Hynix advanced 1.14%, both aided by recently announced buyback programs.

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