Hyundai Motor hits new high on robotics push

Hyundai Motor's general-purpose humanoid robot Atlas is showcased at CES 2026, Las Vegas, Jan. 6. (Yonhap)

Shares of Hyundai Motor surged to a fresh high Tuesday as investors piled into the stock on expectations of a stronger push into robotics.

Hyundai Motor shares closed at 406,000 won ($275), gaining 39,000 won, or 10.63 percent, from the previous session. After opening the session at 380,500, the share rose as high as 413,500 won during trading, breaching the 400,000 won threshold for the first time. The surge lifted its market cap to 83.13 trillion won.

The automaker’s shares have rallied sharply this year, hitting fresh 52-week highs for six consecutive trading sessions. They have jumped about 35 percent year-to-date, after ending 2025 at 296,500 won.

Shares of other Hyundai Motor Group affiliates, including Hyundai Mobis (14.47 percent), Hyundai AutoEver (8.91 percent) and Kia (5.18 percent) also surged.

The rally has been attributed to buoyed investor sentiment following Hyundai Motor's unveiling of its new physical AI strategy at CES 2026 in Las Vegas. At the event, the automaker unveiled Atlas, a general-purpose humanoid robot developed by Boston Dynamics, a Hyundai Motor–backed robotics firm, through a first live public demonstration.

Following the unveiling, local brokerages raised target prices for Hyundai Motor shares. Heungkuk Securities lifted its target to 470,000 won, while Kiwoom Securities raised its estimate to 450,000 won. Kyobo Securities and IBK Investment & Securities set their targets at 480,000 won and 430,000 won, respectively. Eugene Investment & Securities offered the most bullish outlook, setting a target price of 600,000 won.

"Hyundai Motor is poised to break free from its long-standing undervaluation and enter a phase of valuation re-rating. Its valuation could rise to levels comparable to those of its closest global peer, Toyota Motor, or even technology-leading companies," analyst Lee Jae-il at Eugene Investment & Securities said.

Led by gains in blue-chip shares including Hyundai Motor, South Korea’s benchmark Kospi soared to a new high Tuesday, extending its recent rally.

The Kospi closed at 4,692.64, gaining 67.85 points, or 1.47 percent, from the previous session. The index climbed as high as 4,693.07 during intraday trading, breaking above the 4,690-point threshold for the first time.

In terms of investor flows, retail and foreign investors were net sellers, each offloading 712 billion won and 279 billion won. Institutional investors were the only net buyers on the bourse, pumping 788 billion won on the bourse.