· Sangyong · Market Analysis · 3 min read
Weekly Market Review - July 25, 2026
The week of July 20-24, 2026 was characterized as Mixed / Indecisive. US markets finished essentially flat with the S&P 500 at -0.42% and the Nasdaq at -2.09%. 2 of 7 Magnificent 7 stocks advanced on the week. Korean mar
Prepared by Sangyong’s Market Intelligence
Executive Summary
Week Character: Mixed / Indecisive
The week of July 20-24, 2026 was characterized as Mixed / Indecisive. US markets finished essentially flat with the S&P 500 at -0.42% and the Nasdaq at -2.09%. 2 of 7 Magnificent 7 stocks advanced on the week. Korean markets closed moderately higher, with KOSPI at +2.68% and KOSDAQ at -0.19%.
The 10Y Treasury yield rose 10 bps to 4.67%, with little impact on equity multiples. The Korean won strengthened 1.06% against the dollar, providing a mild FX tailwind for USD investors.
Key stat: Divergent markets — cross-asset selectivity mattered more than directional bets.
Weekly Performance Summary
U.S. Magnificent 7
| Stock | Symbol | Mon Open | Fri Close | Weekly Change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | AAPL | $327 | $333 | +1.97% | 🟢 |
| Microsoft | MSFT | $402 | $382 | -5.12% | 🔴 |
| Alphabet | GOOGL | $352 | $320 | -9.16% | 🔴 |
| Amazon | AMZN | $250 | $232 | -7.15% | 🔴 |
| NVIDIA | NVDA | $203 | $207 | +1.75% | 🟢 |
| Meta | META | $646 | $595 | -7.84% | 🔴 |
| Tesla | TSLA | $370 | $313 | -15.30% | 🔴 |
Korean Market Leaders
| Stock | Symbol | Mon Open (₩) | Fri Close (₩) | Weekly Change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Elec. | 005930 | ₩244,000 | ₩249,500 | +2.25% | 🟢 |
| SK Hynix | 000660 | ₩1,764,000 | ₩1,759,000 | -0.28% | 🔴 |
| Hyundai Motor | 005380 | ₩399,000 | ₩401,000 | +0.50% | 🟢 |
Indices
| Index | Mon Open | Fri Close | Weekly Change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | 7,443.28 | 7,411.99 | -0.42% | 🔴 |
| Nasdaq | 25,508.07 | 24,975.82 | -2.09% | 🔴 |
| Dow Jones | 51,839.26 | 51,947.25 | +0.21% | 🟢 |
| KOSPI | 6,516.27 | 6,690.62 | +2.68% | 🟢 |
| KOSDAQ | 749.64 | 748.22 | -0.19% | 🔴 |
Currency (KRW/USD)
- Monday: ₩1,475
- Friday: ₩1,460
- Weekly Change: -1.06% (KRW strengthened — USD weaker)
- Impact: FX tailwind for USD investors in Korean equities.
U.S. 10-Year Treasury Yield
- Monday: 4.57%
- Friday: 4.67%
- Weekly Change: +10 bps
- Implication: +10 bps — rising yields pressure high-multiple growth stocks; materially restrictive.
Weekly Trends and Themes
1. US Market Performance
S&P 500: -0.42% | Nasdaq: -2.09% | Dow: +0.21%
The S&P 500 was essentially flat on the week (-0.42%), with no decisive directional move — buyers and sellers in equilibrium.
Magnificent 7: 2 of 7 Mag7 stocks advanced. Best: Apple (+1.97%), worst: Tesla (-15.30%).
Takeaway: Consolidation week — no tactical change needed.
2. Korean Market Performance
KOSPI: +2.68% | KOSDAQ: -0.19% (weekly)
KOSPI surged +2.68% — a strong weekly gain suggesting genuine institutional re-entry, not just short-covering.
KOSDAQ essentially flat (-0.19%), underperforming KOSPI — investors preferring large-cap stability.
Among Korean blue chips: Samsung led (+2.25%), SK Hynix lagged (-0.28%).
Takeaway: Strong week for Korean markets — partial position add appropriate.
3. Currency Impact (KRW/USD)
Weekly KRW Move: -1.06% ₩1,475 → ₩1,460
The won strengthened notably (-1.06%, ₩1,475 → ₩1,460) — a tailwind for USD investors; currency appreciation boosts USD-basis returns from Korean equities.
Investor Implication: Positive for USD investors — total return (price + FX) exceeds the index gain.
Export sector note: KRW strength compresses USD-reported revenues for Korean exporters — margin headwind for next quarter.
4. Treasury Yields
10Y: 4.57% → 4.67% (+10 bps)
The 10Y yield drifted higher by +10 bps to 4.67% — a modest rise, not enough to drive a major equity repricing.
Market Implication: Mild headwind for high-multiple names; monitor direction next week.
5. Key Weekly Observation
- Korea outperformed the US by 3.1pp this week — unusual divergence; watch for foreign net buying data to confirm institutional re-entry.
- Wide Mag7 dispersion this week (17.3pp between best and worst) — stock-pickers’ market; index-level moves understate individual name volatility.
Best and Worst Performers
Best (Weekly Upside Movers):
- Samsung: +2.25% ████
- Apple: +1.97% ███
- NVIDIA: +1.75% ███
- Hyundai: +0.50% █
- SK Hynix: -0.28%
Worst (Weekly Declines):
- Meta: -7.84% ███████████████
- Alphabet: -9.16% ██████████████████
- Tesla: -15.30% ████████████████████
Commentary:
Samsung led the group at +2.25% — solid outperformance suggesting relative institutional buying interest.
Tesla was the clear laggard at -15.30% — a decline of this magnitude warrants a fundamental review. Check whether this reflects a company-specific negative (guidance cut, regulatory headwind) or macro pressure.
4 of 10 stocks advanced. Negative breadth — more stocks declining than advancing.
Weekly Review Compiled: July 25, 2026 at 12:10 PM Analysis Period: July 20 - 24, 2026 Data Sources: Daily market reports, Naver Finance, Yahoo Finance, FRED