Kospi's Record Surge Fuels Fresh Buying Wave in US Futures

Kospi's historic 18% single‑day jump signals a renewed appetite for Asian equities, while US futures continue the bullish momentum.

Asian Markets Break Their Own Records

■+18% surge makes Kospi the biggest one‑day gain on record.

■The rally follows last month’s brutal sell‑off, now tempered by tighter leverage controls and restored liquidity.

■Korea’s market performance suggests a revival of regional risk appetite.

Fresh Buying Tide in US Futures

■Dow Jones futures up +0.36% (189 points).

■S&P 500 futures climbed +0.41%.

■Nasdaq futures surged +0.89%, leading the charge.

■The move indicates investors shifting back into equities after a period of caution.

Energy and Bond Markets Calm

■WTI crude fell 4.5% to $80.85 per barrel.

■Brent slid 4.6% to $83.90 per barrel.

■U.S. 10‑year Treasury yield dropped 2.7 basis points to 4.718%.

■Declines are tied to hopes of reopening the Strait of Hormuz and easing Middle‑East tensions.

Fed Outlook and Upcoming Labor Data

■ADP private payrolls report is due Wednesday.

■Weekly jobless claims will be released Thursday, followed by the jobs report on Friday forecasting 85,000 new jobs and an unemployment rate of 4.3%.

■Fed Chair Kevin Warsh recently delivered a “zero forward guidance” stance, sparking market uncertainty.

■Bank of America economists warn that a flattening yield curve reflects confidence in the Fed’s inflation fight, while a steepening curve could signal policy credibility issues.

Markets are interpreting the Korean equity surge as a reset of regional risk sentiment, with US futures echoing the optimism. Yet geopolitical volatility in the Middle East continues to pressure oil and Treasury markets. The upcoming employment data will be a decisive test for the Fed’s policy trajectory. In this context, Kospi should be watched as a barometer of emerging‑market risk appetite, while US Treasuries and oil demand vigilant hedging against lingering volatility. (Kemal Tekin, EM Desk Head)