South Korean Shares Climb to Record High

2026-01-22 01:38 By Erika Ordonez 1 min. read

The benchmark KOSPI rose 0.87% to close at 4,953 on Thursday, extending gains to a new record high, as heavyweight chipmakers rallied amid strong AI-driven demand.

The index briefly passed the 5,000-mark earlier in the session, with Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix up 1.74% and 2.03%, respectively, as rising memory prices and tight supply conditions continued to bolster earnings momentum, reinforcing Korea’s position as a key beneficiary of the global AI investment cycle.

Additional gains were recorded in LG Energy Solution (5.58%), SK Square (3.72%), Shinhan Financial (1.85%), and Naver (2.94%).

Sentiment was further supported by a regional risk-on move after US President Donald Trump stepped back from tariff threats against European nations, helping ease global market volatility.

The rally also reflects sustained optimism over capital market reforms aimed at narrowing the “Korea discount,” encouraging investors to re-rate domestic equities despite broader economic headwinds.



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