The benchmark KOSPI surged nearly 6% to around 7,130 on Wednesday, extending its rally from the previous session as a rebound in global semiconductor stocks lifted overall market sentiment. The advance tracked strong gains in US chipmakers, with a key US semiconductor index jumping 5.2% as investors rotated back into AI-related names following upbeat corporate earnings, which helped ease concerns about the sector’s outlook.
Market attention has now turned to upcoming earnings reports from major US technology firms for further guidance on AI-related capital expenditure and end-demand trends. In Seoul, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix spearheaded the gains, rising nearly 6% and more than 8%, respectively.
Other notable gainers included SK Square (up 7.6%), Samsung Electro-Mechanics (9.8%), Hyundai Motor (7.3%), LG Energy Solution (3.6%), Hyundai Mobis (9.3%), and Doosan Enerbility (6.4%). However, persistent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East kept oil prices elevated, tempering broader risk appetite across the market.
