Even as the KOSPI and KOSDAQ plunged more than 3%, only HLB Group shares showed contrarian strength. On the 30th, as U.S. inflation pressure and the possibility of additional rate hikes by the Federal Reserve weighed on the broader market, 9 out of 10 HLB Group stocks rose. In particular, HLB Life Science jumped 20.76% and HLB Pharmaceutical climbed 11.78%, drawing market attention.

■ KOSPI Falls 3.48%, KOSDAQ 3.83%

The KOSPI index closed at 5,730.74, down 206.92 points (3.48%) from the previous trading day. The KOSDAQ index also fell 28.85 points (3.83%) to 724.38. Despite the twin indexes' steep decline, HLB Group shares generally rose. In particular, in the afternoon aftermarket, the stock prices of HLB Life Science and HLB Pharmaceutical moved sharply, making the group-wide uptrend stand out.

■ HLB Life Science Surges Over 20%... 9 of 10 Group Stocks Rise

HLB Life Science rose 20.76%, trading at 6,340 won, up 1,090 won from the previous day. Opening at 5,250 won, the stock surged to as high as 6,820 won intraday—29.90% above the previous day's reference price. It later gave up part of its gains but maintained a rise in the 20% range. Trading volume was 1,298,048 shares.

HLB Pharmaceutical also posted a double-digit gain, rising 11.78% to close at 10,630 won, up 1,120 won. It climbed to as high as 11,570 won intraday, with trading volume of 1,520,055 shares.

HLB rose 6.42%, trading at 42,250 won, up 2,550 won. Its intraday high of 46,050 won was 15.99% above the previous day's close. Trading volume was 1,331,922 shares.

HLB Global rose 8.66% to 1,882 won, up 150 won, climbing to as high as 2,055 won intraday, with trading volume of 394,583 shares.

HLB Therapeutics also joined the rally, rising 6.64% to 2,730 won, up 170 won, with an intraday high of 3,060 won and trading volume of 569,999 shares.

HLB Panacugen rose 6.32% to 1,345 won, up 80 won; HLB Genex climbed 5.99% to 2,390 won, up 135 won; and HLB Innovation gained 5.08% to 14,880 won, up 720 won. HLB Life Sciences edged up 0.46% to 3,295 won, up 15 won.

Only HLB Peptide fell, declining 6.27% to 3,810 won, down 255 won from the previous trading day.

■ September PCE Rises 3.6%... Speculation of Additional Fed Hike in December

Behind the day's market plunge lie U.S. inflation trends and the Fed's monetary policy.

The U.S. Commerce Department announced on the 29th local time that the September personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index rose 3.6% year over year. While slightly below the market forecast of 3.7%, it was 0.2 percentage point higher than August's 3.4% increase. On a month-over-month basis, the index rose 0.5%, in line with market expectations. The core PCE price index, excluding energy and food, rose 3.1% year over year. The PCE price index is a key inflation gauge the Fed examines closely when setting monetary policy, and attention focused on the fact that although the overall inflation rate slightly missed market forecasts, the pace of increase widened from the previous month.

Earlier, at the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting on the 28th, the Fed kept its benchmark rate frozen at 3.75–4.00% per annum. However, some in financial markets find it difficult to interpret this freeze as the end of the rate-hiking cycle. Securities firms are raising the possibility that the Fed will implement an additional policy rate increase in December.

Kim Myung-sil, a researcher at iM Securities, said, "Given that a dissenting opinion for a hike was raised and the economic assessment was upgraded, it is too early to interpret this freeze as the end of the hiking cycle."

The fact that U.S. inflation remains above the Fed's 2% target is also a key variable for future monetary policy. If the Fed raises rates further, it could affect U.S. Treasury yields, the dollar's value, and global capital flows. The Korean stock market is not immune to these changes. Growth stocks and bio stocks in particular are seen as sectors sensitive to rate changes, as higher rates can increase companies' financing costs and change the discount rate applied to future earnings.

■ Stock-by-Stock Differentiation—Will It Continue Into the Next Trading Day?

Individual companies' share price movements do not always match the broader market trend. Gains and losses can diverge depending on sector supply and demand and individual trading conditions, and HLB Group shares were a prime example on this day. While the KOSPI and KOSDAQ fell 3.48% and 3.83%, respectively, HLB Life Science rose 20.76%, HLB Pharmaceutical 11.78%, HLB Global 8.66%, HLB Therapeutics 6.64%, and HLB 6.42%, showing clear stock-by-stock differentiation.

Going forward, additional U.S. inflation data, labor market trends, and comments from Fed officials are expected to serve as variables in determining the direction of interest rates. HLB Group shares may also see expanded price volatility depending on overall market sentiment and changes in individual stock supply and demand. In particular, given that 9 out of 10 HLB Group stocks rose on a day when both indexes plunged sharply, attention is focused on whether this differentiated trend will continue into the next trading day.

[This article is for investment reference purposes only and does not recommend the purchase or sale of any specific stock. Stock prices may fluctuate depending on market conditions and U.S. monetary policy, among other factors. This article was written with some assistance from AI.]