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Samsung Electronics and SK hynix shares surge as South Korean market index gains 11%
Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 09:27 PM
Shares of major South Korean semiconductor manufacturers surged significantly as part of a broader market rally, with Samsung Electronics increasing by 13% and SK hynix rising by 15%.
Context
The South Korean semiconductor sector saw a dramatic recovery on March 4, 2026, following a period of extreme volatility dubbed Black Tuesday. Shares of Samsung Electronics surged 13% and SK hynix jumped 15%, fueling an 11% gain in the Seoul Composite Index. This rebound follows a massive sell-off triggered by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and concerns over energy security that had previously sent the KOSPI tumbling over 7% and forced the activation of market circuit breakers.
Investors remain focused on the memory super cycle and the rapid scaling of AI-related supply chains. While foreign investors previously offloaded a record 5.17 trillion won in a single day, the underlying demand for High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM) remains robust. Samsung recently began mass production of HBM4 chips to catch up with SK hynix, which reported record 2025 profits driven by a 66% surge in quarterly revenue. Analysts suggest that while large-cap stocks are sensitive to global macro shifts, the long-term outlook for South Korean chipmakers remains tied to their dominance in the AI data center market.
Sources (8)
Stock Chart │ Stock Information │ Investor Relations │ Samsung Global | On the 4th, two semiconductor stocks were reeling from the foreign selling bomb in the domestic stoc.. - MKSouth Korea Eases Semiconductor Investment Rules for ...SK Hynix doubles profit in 2025 amid memory shortage - CNBCSamsung ships latest HBM4 chips to catch-up in AI race | ReutersSK Hynix Inc Stock Price Today | KS 000660 - Investing.com CanadaSouth Korea’s Semiconductor Industry and Investment StatusView Details | Industry Focus | InvestKOREA(ENG)User | times-online.com - Black Tuesday in Seoul: KOSPI Plummets 7% as War Fears and Semiconductor Slump Trigger Market Meltdown
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