Korea ETF Plunges 14% in Worst Session Since 2020
The iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY) suffered a 14% single-day decline on Friday, its worst session since the COVID crash in March 2020. The selloff was sparked by a broad semiconductor rout that began with Broadcom (AVGO) and spread to NVIDIA (NVDA) and Micron (MU).
Key Numbers
The iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY) experienced a brutal 14% drop on Friday, closing at $175.19 after opening near $204. This marks the fund's largest single-day decline since the March 2020 COVID-induced market crash.
Potential Causes
The sharp decline was triggered by a severe selloff in the semiconductor sector, starting with Broadcom (AVGO) following reports of weakening demand. The rout spread to NVIDIA (NVDA) and Micron (MU), dragging down heavily weighted Korean semiconductor stocks like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which are major components of the ETF.
Context
Prior to this session, the ETF had been volatile, but this sudden plunge underscores the Korean market's sensitivity to global tech news. The fund is now trading near multi-month lows.
Similar Sector Moves
The selloff was not limited to EWY; other Asia-focused ETFs like the iShares MSCI Taiwan ETF (EWT) also fell 3%, indicating a broad regional impact.
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