# margin debt

KOSPI’s Collapse: Why a Korean Stock Rout Could Become a Global Market Time‑Bomb

A sudden, leverage‑fuelled collapse in South Korea’s KOSPI — driven by falls in AI‑hardware and memory stocks — has amplified risks well beyond Seoul because of Korea’s central role in global semiconductor supply chains and the prevalence of leveraged domestic investors. The rout was triggered by margin calls and an energy shock as Asian LNG prices spiked amid Middle East tensions, creating a pathway for spillovers to US tech stocks and broader markets.