South Korea's Kospi Plunges 8% as Hot US Inflation Deepens Chipmaker Selloff

South Korea's stock market plunged on Thursday, October 15, 2026, triggering a circuit breaker halt as the Kospi fell nearly 8% intraday, worsened by a hotter-than-expected U.S. inflation report that raised rate hike fears. The Kospi opened down 5.59% at 5,673.01 and dropped to around 5,540 by midday, leaving the index about 41% below its June 2026 record. September U.S. consumer prices rose 3.7% annually, exceeding the 3.6% forecast, while foreign investors sold a net 284.7 billion won, extending their selling streak to eight sessions. The iShares MSCI South Korea ETF fell to $155.20 after hours, down 27.6% from its 52-week high. Heavyweights Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, comprising over half the fund's assets, led declines amid AI sentiment concerns, with analysts citing upcoming TSMC earnings as a key volatility trigger.