South Korean Shares Rally on Tech Rebound

2026-07-31 01:32 By Erika Ordonez 1 min. read

The benchmark KOSPI soared 17.91% to close at 6,595 on Friday, rebounding sharply from the previous session as a global technology rally lifted semiconductor stocks.

Sentiment improved after Microsoft's stronger-than-expected earnings and robust Azure growth eased concerns over AI spending, fueling overnight gains in US chipmakers and driving sharp advances in Korean heavyweights.

Samsung Electronics and SK hynix surged 28.26% and 29.95%, respectively, along with notable gains in SK Square (29.91%), Hyundai Motor (10.54%), Kia Corporation (8.86%), and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (7.37%).

The government announced plans to establish a 20 trillion won sovereign wealth fund to invest in strategic industries, including AI, semiconductors, data centers, and infrastructure.

Domestic sentiment was also supported by June industrial production, which rose 2.3%, the fastest monthly increase in six years, led by strong growth in automobile and semiconductor output.



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South Korean Shares Rally on Tech Rebound
The benchmark KOSPI soared 17.91% to close at 6,595 on Friday, rebounding sharply from the previous session as a global technology rally lifted semiconductor stocks. Sentiment improved after Microsoft's stronger-than-expected earnings and robust Azure growth eased concerns over AI spending, fueling overnight gains in US chipmakers and driving sharp advances in Korean heavyweights. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix surged 28.26% and 29.95%, respectively, along with notable gains in SK Square (29.91%), Hyundai Motor (10.54%), Kia Corporation (8.86%), and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (7.37%). The government announced plans to establish a 20 trillion won sovereign wealth fund to invest in strategic industries, including AI, semiconductors, data centers, and infrastructure. Domestic sentiment was also supported by June industrial production, which rose 2.3%, the fastest monthly increase in six years, led by strong growth in automobile and semiconductor output.
2026-07-31
South Korean Shares Fall to Over 3-Month Low
The benchmark KOSPI fell 1.23% to close at 5,594 on Thursday, extending losses to its lowest level since early April as persistent concerns over AI-related spending and valuations continued to pressure technology shares, reversing earlier gains. Investors remained skeptical that massive capital spending on AI infrastructure would generate sufficient returns, with SK Hynix posting further declines despite reporting record quarterly earnings. At the same time, support from stronger-than-expected Samsung Electronics results and fresh government measures to curb leveraged ETF-driven volatility faded as selling resumed. Investors also remained cautious after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged while providing little clarity on the timing of future policy easing. Among heavyweights, SK Hynix dropped 5.64%, alongside losses in Samsung Electronics (-0.72%), SK Square (-6.00%), Samsung Electro-Mechanics (-14.97%), and LG Electronics (-1.66%).
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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.
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