Five things to watch in markets in the week ahead By Investing.com

• Wall Street analysts have issued new upgrades, downgrades, and initiations for a diverse range of companies, including Alphabet, Ford, Rivian, and Rocket Lab. • These shifts occur ahead of the quarter's busiest earnings week, with over 150 companies (more than 30% of the S&P 500) scheduled to report.

• The KOSPI closed 0.97% higher at 6,755.75, despite a significant selloff of nearly 2.9 trillion won by foreign investors. • Market gains were driven by Samsung Electronics (+1.80%) and SK hynix (+3.24%) following cooperation plans with Nvidia, Microsoft, and OpenAI announced at the San Francisco AI Summit.

• South Korea's KOSPI index plummeted 8.02% to 6,213.51 on the 28th, triggering a Level 1 circuit breaker. • This event marks the eighth time a circuit breaker has been activated this year, resulting in a mandatory 20-minute suspension of all trading.

• Asian markets are expected to open lower due to ongoing valuation pressures on technology stocks, coinciding with the start of the FOMC meeting. • Investors are closely monitoring SK Hynix's earnings report, CXMT's second day of trading, and news regarding China's new deep ultraviolet lithography kit.

• South Korea’s benchmark Kospi index plummeted 8.1% (551 points) to 6,2505, triggering "sidecar" trading curbs to temporarily halt program trading. • The decline was part of a broader regional slump, with the MSCI Asia Pacific Index falling 2.92%, Japan's Nikkei dropping 3.86%, and technology stocks suffering the heaviest losses.

• The KOSPI index experienced its 8th circuit breaker as a sharp selloff in semiconductor stocks and significant foreign outflows triggered a deep market decline. • While Japan and Taiwan also saw losses, Korea's steeper drop highlights the risks of high index concentration and the impact of regional shocks.

• Asian stocks fell sharply on Tuesday, led by a widespread sell-off in semiconductor shares due to growing skepticism regarding the financial returns on AI spending. • South Korea's KOSPI index was heavily dragged down by double-digit drops in chip giants SK Hynix and Samsung, while Japan's Nikkei 225 hit a two-month low.

• Indian stock markets, including the Sensex and Nifty, are entering the monthly options expiry with cautious optimism despite persisting risks. • Investors are closely monitoring the upcoming U.S. Federal Reserve policy decision on Thursday and the evolving geopolitical situation in West Asia.

• The KOSPI closed at 6755.75 on the 27th, marking an increase of 65.13 points (0.97%) amid recent market volatility. • Investors are closely monitoring the U.S. Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) and second-quarter earnings reports from tech giants including Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and Apple.

• Indian stock markets saw a strong rebound on Monday, primarily fueled by a decrease in global tensions. • Key corporate updates include HDFC Bank completing an internal review, Bank of Baroda reporting a data breach, and Bharat Electronics and Coal India releasing their quarterly financial results.

• U.S. stocks finished mixed on Friday, July 27, 2026, with the Nasdaq closing in the red following a selloff in the technology sector. • The decline was driven by investor concerns regarding the sustainability of massive AI spending as the market awaits quarterly results from megacap tech firms.