📊 POSCO Holdings: A tug-of-war between steel and lithium - 2026.10.15

Well now, look at the market today~ It’s Onion here. After watching the markets for 30 years, I know days like this can make your palms sweat 🔥 Today, POSCO Holdings is catching its breath as battery heavyweights weaken together. First came news that LG Energy Solution, POSCO Holdings, and Samsung SDI all fell around 7% intraday ^[1], with steep net selling by foreign investors said to be the key factor.

Why did the market turn red today?

At the close, POSCO Holdings finished at ₩291,500. That’s quite a deep drop in a single day from the previous session’s ₩308,000. Trading volume was 279,178. The explanation from the securities industry points to concerns over slowing EV demand and increased external uncertainty ^[1]. Is this a retreat? No, from where I stand, the picture isn’t complete yet.

Earnings talk: Who ate into the money steel made?

NewsQuest covered third-quarter earnings, noting that the lithium and trading divisions offset the profit earned by the steel division ^[2]. The article even used the phrase “strong outside, weak inside,” as its headline suggests. But that’s the article’s analysis. Don’t read it as a company disclosure or as a statement about its cash position. Interpretations like this should always be viewed with their source attached.

Exchange rates and steel stocks: Which way is the wind blowing?

One explanation is that a lower exchange rate can be positive by reducing the cost of imported raw materials ^[3]. But there’s also a caveat: the currency impact may be limited because metal prices, global demand, and product selling prices move together ^[3]. Nongshim and Orion held up well, while steel stocks declined—that scene seems to illustrate the point. Well now, the wind doesn’t blow in just one direction~

Could the rally continue? What did the broadcast say?

MTN Money Today Broadcasting released a video assessing the potential for further gains after POSCO Holdings’ rebound, looking at secondary batteries, steel, and Alaska LNG together ^[5]. The title asks whether it’s still a good time to buy, but that’s just the broadcast’s perspective, not a trading signal in my view. Just remember that the view belongs to the broadcaster and its featured expert.

Looking at the same day’s market action, there was also news that POSCO Holdings closed at ₩308,000 on October 14, up +3.18%, while TCC Steel rose 8.50% ^[4]. In other words, the mood had been one of a rebound until the day before.

Here are the remaining variables

Onion sees this as a contest over whether steel’s strength proves itself first or the burden from lithium eases first. Let’s treat the bullish scenario only as a conditional one: it becomes clearer if signs of a steel rebound are confirmed. 💪 There’s one question: how long will foreign investors keep selling, and how will the exchange rate feed into steel costs? We can’t know that yet, can we? Now, now~ the numbers just aren’t adding up easily today!

📰 Reference News (4)

1

[Today in the Stock Market (15th): Key Movers] Semiconductor and battery heavyweights among the largest by market cap stumble together

네이버뉴스 · 2026.10.15

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3

Nongshim and Orion hold up despite falling exchange rates… but airline and steel stocks decline

네이버뉴스 · 2026.10.15

📰 View original

4

[Vegan News] POSCO Holdings closes at 309,000 KRW… TCC Steel up 8.50%

네이버뉴스 · 2026.10.14

📰 View original

📺 Reference Videos (1)

5

YouTube

[Editor’s Pick] “POSCO Holdings rebounds! Is it still a good time to buy? What are the prospects for further gains in secondary batteries, steel, and Alaska LNG?”

▶MTN 머니투데이방송·2026.10.14