What's KOSPI? What's NASDAQ?
Stock marketplaces. Korea has two, the US has two.
Open a brokerage app to buy a stock and you'll see words like 'KOSPI', 'KOSDAQ', and 'Nasdaq' everywhere. They all seem similar — so what's the difference? Today let's sort out the markets where stocks trade.
What is a stock market?
To buy and sell stocks, you need a marketplace where buyers and sellers meet. That marketplace is the stock market. You never meet anyone in person — the brokerage app connects you to this giant marketplace.
Korea has two markets
Korea's main markets are KOSPI and KOSDAQ. KOSPI is home to big, established firms like Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor. KOSDAQ has lots of fast-growing tech companies — games, bio, IT.
So KOSDAQ tends to be more volatile than KOSPI. It can rise sharply, but it can fall just as sharply. Starting with relatively stable KOSPI large-caps is one good way to ease in.
The U.S. has NYSE and Nasdaq
America's main markets are the NYSE (New York Stock Exchange) and Nasdaq. The NYSE holds traditional giants like Coca-Cola and JPMorgan; Nasdaq holds tech names like Apple, Nvidia, and Tesla.
These days you can buy U.S. stocks easily through a brokerage app too. Just note the time difference — the U.S. market opens around 11:30 p.m. Korea time (10:30 p.m. during daylight saving).
How a beginner should look at it
You don't need to know every market from day one. Just knowing which market your company trades on is enough. As you get used to it, each market's mood becomes clear naturally.