South Korea defense stocks soar with heavyweight Hanwha Aerospace surging 20%
A Cheongung missile launcher is displayed in the course of the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX 2025) at Seoul Air Base in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, on October 17, 2025.
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South Korean defense stocks noticed huge beneficial properties on Tuesday after the nation’s markets returned from a public vacation, because the Iran conflict fuels curiosity in defense names globally.
Heavyweight Hanwha Aerospace, which is South Korea’s largest defense producer, noticed shares rise almost 25%, earlier than paring beneficial properties to about 20%, whereas Korea Aerospace Industries gained greater than 12%, however minimize these to three.2%.
Shares in air defense methods maker LIG Nex1 soared 30%, whereas digital warfare methods producer Victek and anti-aircraft missile parts’ maker Firstec noticed shares rise 30% and 19%, respectively.
Ammunition producer Poongsan rose 12.78%, whereas Hyundai Rotem, maker of the K2 fundamental battle tank, superior over 8%.
The sector’s beneficial properties had been in sharp distinction to the broader Kospiwhich fell 7.24% to guide losses in Asian markets and report its worst day in 19 months.
South Korea’s prominence within the world defense area has been rising because the Ukraine-Russia battle, with the nation aiming to be the world’s fourth largest defense industry by 2030.
Orders from European nations Such as Poland and Romania have powered huge beneficial properties within the sector as nations on the continent enhance their defense spending.
Global defense stocks soared Monday as buyers reacted to a dramatic army escalation within the Middle East.
In Europe, Germany’s Hensoldt and Britain’s BAE Systems had been among the many high performers within the Stoxx 600, up shut to five% and round 6%, respectively.
Stateside, US companies Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman rose greater than 3% and about 6%, respectively.
— CNBC’s Elsa Olhen contributed to this report.
