South Korean Shares Rebound on Chip Rally

2026-07-30 01:36 By Erika Ordonez 1 min. read

The benchmark KOSPI rose more than 4% to around 5,890 on Thursday, recovering part of the previous session's losses as Samsung Electronics rallied after reporting record quarterly earnings.

Samsung climbed nearly 3% on stronger-than-expected results, with record semiconductor operating profit driven by robust AI-related memory demand and expectations for continued strength in AI infrastructure spending.

Additional support came from bargain hunting following the index's nearly 16% two-day slump, while authorities announced further measures to curb leveraged ETF-driven volatility.

Upbeat earnings from Microsoft also helped lift sentiment toward global technology shares.

Other notable gainers included Hyundai Motor (1.6%), LG Energy Solution (7.2%), KB Financial Group (5.5%), and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (5.1%).

Meanwhile, investors remained cautious after the Federal Reserve maintained a higher-for-longer policy stance and renewed US strikes on Iran.



News Stream
South Korean Shares Rebound on Chip Rally
The benchmark KOSPI rose more than 4% to around 5,890 on Thursday, recovering part of the previous session's losses as Samsung Electronics rallied after reporting record quarterly earnings. Samsung climbed nearly 3% on stronger-than-expected results, with record semiconductor operating profit driven by robust AI-related memory demand and expectations for continued strength in AI infrastructure spending. Additional support came from bargain hunting following the index's nearly 16% two-day slump, while authorities announced further measures to curb leveraged ETF-driven volatility. Upbeat earnings from Microsoft also helped lift sentiment toward global technology shares. Other notable gainers included Hyundai Motor (1.6%), LG Energy Solution (7.2%), KB Financial Group (5.5%), and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (5.1%). Meanwhile, investors remained cautious after the Federal Reserve maintained a higher-for-longer policy stance and renewed US strikes on Iran.
2026-07-30
South Korean Stocks Lead Asia Lower
South Korea’s KOSPI Composite Index tumbled more than 10% on Wednesday, extending the previous session’s nearly 11% slump and falling to its lowest level since early April as the selloff in semiconductor stocks intensified amid mounting concerns over artificial intelligence spending and elevated valuations. Among individual companies, SK Hynix plunged more than 10% after the chipmaker reported another record quarterly profit but missed analyst expectations. Technology-heavy benchmark indexes in Japan and China also traded lower, while markets in Australia and Hong Kong outperformed the broader regional trend. On the geopolitical front, the US military said it had successfully intercepted what it described as a surprise Iranian attack targeting US troops stationed across the Middle East, reigniting regional tensions and pushing oil prices higher.
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South Korean Shares Hit Over 3-Month Low
The benchmark KOSPI fell 5.98% to close at 5,663 on Wednesday, extending losses to its lowest level in over three months, as semiconductor concerns continued to weigh on investor sentiment. Investors remained cautious over AI infrastructure spending, elevated semiconductor valuations, and intensifying competition from China's chip industry. Sentiment also remained subdued after SK hynix reported record second-quarter revenue and operating profit but missed analyst expectations, reinforcing concerns that AI-driven earnings growth may be moderating despite continued strength in high-bandwidth memory demand. SK hynix plunged 9.61%, alongside losses in Samsung Electronics (-5.23%), SK Square (-8.11%), Hyundai Motor (-2.88%), and LG Energy Solution (-4.30%). Meanwhile, lower oil prices following the easing of Middle East supply concerns and selective bargain hunting after the previous session's plunge provided some support to the broader market.
2026-07-29