KOSPI Falls 1.35% to 7000.78 on July 24, Triggers 21st Sell-Side Circuit Breaker Amid Oil Price Surge

According to Money Today via Newsis, South Korea's KOSPI index fell 96.11 points (1.35%) to 7000.78 on July 24, triggering its 21st sell-side circuit breaker of 2026. The halt, activated at 11:23 a.m. local time, temporarily suspended program sell orders for five minutes as a market stabilization measure.

The decline was attributed to escalating Middle East geopolitical tensions driving international crude oil prices higher, combined with overnight weakness in U.S. equities. The KOSPI has triggered circuit breakers on all four trading days of this week—sell-side halts on July 20 and 24, and buy-side halts on July 21 and 22—reflecting increased market volatility.