South Korean Shares Rise on AI Investment Push

2026-08-11 01:41 By Erika Ordonez 1 min. read

The benchmark KOSPI edged higher to around 6,320 on Tuesday, extending gains from the previous session, supported by plans to accelerate AI-related investment.

The government plans to enact a special law this year to streamline the implementation of AI investment projects, including a semiconductor cluster backed by combined investment commitments of 800 trillion won from Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.

Sentiment was also supported by strong semiconductor exports, which surged 155.4% year-on-year in the first 10 days of August to $9.95 billion amid robust global AI demand.

Meanwhile, gains were tempered by overnight weakness in US technology stocks and higher oil prices amid uncertainty over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Large-cap performance was mixed, as Samsung Electronics increased 2.6%, while losses were recorded in SK hynix (-0.9%), SK Square (-1.4%), Hyundai Motor (-0.7%), LG Energy Solution (-0.7%), KB Financial Group (-1.5%), and Hanwha Aerospace (-2.8%).



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South Korean Shares Rise on AI Investment Push
The benchmark KOSPI edged higher to around 6,320 on Tuesday, extending gains from the previous session, supported by plans to accelerate AI-related investment. The government plans to enact a special law this year to streamline the implementation of AI investment projects, including a semiconductor cluster backed by combined investment commitments of 800 trillion won from Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. Sentiment was also supported by strong semiconductor exports, which surged 155.4% year-on-year in the first 10 days of August to $9.95 billion amid robust global AI demand. Meanwhile, gains were tempered by overnight weakness in US technology stocks and higher oil prices amid uncertainty over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Large-cap performance was mixed, as Samsung Electronics increased 2.6%, while losses were recorded in SK hynix (-0.9%), SK Square (-1.4%), Hyundai Motor (-0.7%), LG Energy Solution (-0.7%), KB Financial Group (-1.5%), and Hanwha Aerospace (-2.8%).
2026-08-11
South Korean Shares Rise on AI Optimism
The benchmark KOSPI edged up 0.65% to close at 6,300 on Monday, rebounding from the previous session as optimism over AI-related investment supported market sentiment. President Lee Jae Myung urged the government to accelerate AI-related investment projects, including a semiconductor cluster backed by combined investment commitments of 800 trillion won from Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. The index also tracked Wall Street's record-setting performance after a weaker-than-expected US jobs report eased expectations of a September Federal Reserve rate hike. Notable gainers included SK Square (+1.17%), Hyundai Motor (+3.29%), LG Energy Solution (+2.08%), Hanwha Aerospace (+5.38%), HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (+5.34%), and Doosan Enerbility (+3.63%), while SK hynix inched up 0.42%. Meanwhile, tighter restrictions on leveraged ETFs tracking major chipmakers reduced speculative demand for large-cap technology stocks, limiting gains in the KOSPI.
2026-08-10
South Korean Shares Extend Decline
The benchmark KOSPI fell 0.60% to close at 6,259 on Friday, extending losses for a second straight session as investors awaited the US jobs report. The closely watched payrolls data is expected to provide fresh clues on the Federal Reserve's policy path, keeping investors cautious over the outlook for interest rates while they also assessed the latest round of US corporate earnings. Renewed uncertainty over the Strait of Hormuz pushed oil prices higher, adding to inflation concerns and further weighing on risk appetite. SK hynix plunged 5.22%, while notable losses were also recorded in SK Square (-3.30%), Hyundai Motor (-1.50%), HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (-0.79%), Hyundai Mobis (-2.95%), Naver (-7.30%), and Hanwha Ocean (-1.98%). Meanwhile, optimism over AI initiatives, including planned partnership talks between LG Group and Nvidia, helped cushion broader losses.
2026-08-07