[Digital Today reporter Sangyeop Oh (오상엽)] South Korea's KOSPI jumped more than 3 percent in early trade on Sept. 7 to break above the 6,900 level. U.S. stocks fell on caution ahead of jobs data, but semiconductor shares were strong. Foreign and institutional buying is concentrated in major local semiconductor stocks such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

According to the Korea Exchange, the KOSPI was up 236.05 points, or 3.53 percent, at 6,923.26 as of 9:11 a.m. The index opened up 223.57 points, or 3.34 percent, at 6,910.78.

In the main board market, foreigners and institutions were net buyers of 441.6 billion won and 326.8 billion won, respectively, lifting the index. Retail investors were net sellers of 812.3 billion won.

Gains in major semiconductor stocks stood out. Samsung Electronics was trading at 267,000 won, up 4.50 percent from the previous session, while SK Hynix rose 6.19 percent to 1,749,000 won.

SK Square also gained 6.63 percent to 1,110,000 won. Samsung Electro-Mechanics rose 3.07 percent, Samsung C&T 4.50 percent, Hyundai Motor 2.22 percent, KB Financial Group 1.51 percent, Samsung Biologics 0.48 percent and LG Energy Solution 0.28 percent.

The Kosdaq also rose. At the same time, the Kosdaq was up 10.08 points, or 1.24 percent, at 823.58.

In the Seoul foreign exchange market, the won was at 1,346.10 per dollar, up 3.40 won, or 0.25 percent, from the previous session.

On Sept. 4 (local time), U.S. stocks fell as stronger-than-expected employment data pushed up Treasury yields and raised worries about benchmark rate hikes. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.51 percent, the Standard & Poor's 500 index lost 0.38 percent and the Nasdaq index slipped 0.29 percent. U.S. nonfarm payrolls for August rose 162,000, above market expectations.

Still, U.S. semiconductor shares rose against the broader market. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index climbed more than 3 percent, and memory-related stocks also rose, supporting investor sentiment toward domestic semiconductor shares.