· Sangyong · Market Analysis · 3 min read
Weekly Market Review - September 26, 2026
The week of September 21-25, 2026 was characterized as Mixed / Indecisive. US markets finished essentially flat with the S&P 500 at -0.27% and the Nasdaq at -0.20%. 3 of 7 Magnificent 7 stocks advanced on the week. Korea
Prepared by Sangyong’s Market Intelligence
Executive Summary
Week Character: Mixed / Indecisive
The week of September 21-25, 2026 was characterized as Mixed / Indecisive. US markets finished essentially flat with the S&P 500 at -0.27% and the Nasdaq at -0.20%. 3 of 7 Magnificent 7 stocks advanced on the week. Korean markets closed modestly higher, with KOSPI at +1.04% and KOSDAQ at +0.98%.
The 10Y Treasury yield rose 17 bps to 5.11%, adding pressure on growth stock valuations. The Korean won strengthened 1.37% 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 | $339 | $341 | +0.62% | 🟢 |
| Microsoft | MSFT | $502 | $516 | +2.90% | 🟢 |
| Alphabet | GOOGL | $355 | $344 | -3.11% | 🔴 |
| Amazon | AMZN | $258 | $250 | -3.40% | 🔴 |
| NVIDIA | NVDA | $227 | $225 | -1.02% | 🔴 |
| Meta | META | $741 | $752 | +1.41% | 🟢 |
| Tesla | TSLA | $375 | $372 | -0.83% | 🔴 |
Korean Market Leaders
| Stock | Symbol | Mon Open (₩) | Fri Close (₩) | Weekly Change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Elec. | 005930 | ₩275,000 | ₩286,500 | +4.18% | 🟢 |
| SK Hynix | 000660 | ₩1,879,000 | ₩1,863,000 | -0.85% | 🔴 |
| Hyundai Motor | 005380 | ₩361,500 | ₩357,000 | -1.24% | 🔴 |
Indices
| Index | Mon Open | Fri Close | Weekly Change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 | 7,764.70 | 7,743.41 | -0.27% | 🔴 |
| Nasdaq | 27,122.09 | 27,068.72 | -0.20% | 🔴 |
| Dow Jones | 52,048.83 | 51,828.62 | -0.42% | 🔴 |
| KOSPI | 7,007.72 | 7,080.92 | +1.04% | 🟢 |
| KOSDAQ | 836.27 | 844.48 | +0.98% | 🟢 |
Currency (KRW/USD)
- Monday: ₩1,375
- Friday: ₩1,356
- Weekly Change: -1.37% (KRW strengthened — USD weaker)
- Impact: FX tailwind for USD investors in Korean equities.
U.S. 10-Year Treasury Yield
- Monday: 4.94%
- Friday: 5.11%
- Weekly Change: +17 bps
- Implication: +17 bps — rising yields pressure high-multiple growth stocks; materially restrictive.
Weekly Trends and Themes
1. US Market Performance
S&P 500: -0.27% | Nasdaq: -0.20% | Dow: -0.42%
The S&P 500 was essentially flat on the week (-0.27%), with no decisive directional move — buyers and sellers in equilibrium.
Magnificent 7: 3 of 7 Mag7 stocks advanced. Best: Microsoft (+2.90%), worst: Amazon (-3.40%).
Takeaway: Consolidation week — no tactical change needed.
2. Korean Market Performance
KOSPI: +1.04% | KOSDAQ: +0.98% (weekly)
KOSPI recovered +1.04% — a constructive move, though confirmation of a sustained uptrend requires follow-through volume.
KOSDAQ modestly higher (+0.98%), underperforming KOSPI — investors preferring large-cap stability.
Among Korean blue chips: Samsung led (+4.18%), Hyundai lagged (-1.24%).
Takeaway: Sideways week — hold existing positions, no tactical action.
3. Currency Impact (KRW/USD)
Weekly KRW Move: -1.37% ₩1,375 → ₩1,356
The won strengthened notably (-1.37%, ₩1,375 → ₩1,356) — 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: 4.94% → 5.11% (+17 bps)
The 10Y Treasury yield rose sharply by +17 bps to 5.11% — a move of this size compresses P/E multiples for growth stocks and increases borrowing costs.
Market Implication: Headwind for long-duration tech. Yields now above 4.5% — historically restrictive territory.
5. Key Weekly Observation
- Markets moved in a relatively correlated fashion this week — few compelling cross-asset divergences to exploit.
Best and Worst Performers
Best (Weekly Upside Movers):
- Samsung: +4.18% ████████
- Microsoft: +2.90% █████
- Meta: +1.41% ██
- Apple: +0.62% █
- Tesla: -0.83% █
Worst (Weekly Declines):
- Hyundai: -1.24% ██
- Alphabet: -3.11% ██████
- Amazon: -3.40% ██████
Commentary:
Samsung led the group at +4.18% — solid outperformance suggesting relative institutional buying interest.
Amazon underperformed at -3.40% — watch whether the weakness continues into next week or reverses.
4 of 10 stocks advanced. Negative breadth — more stocks declining than advancing.
Weekly Review Compiled: September 26, 2026 at 12:10 PM Analysis Period: September 21 - 25, 2026 Data Sources: Daily market reports, Naver Finance, Yahoo Finance, FRED