South Korea’s KOSPI Doubles in 2026 as AI Chip Boom Lifts SK Hynix Above $1 Trillion
South Korea’s KOSPI has surged 100% in 2026 after just five months, the strongest start to a year on record, driven largely by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. The benchmark earlier reached a record 8,380, while SK Hynix rose above $1 trillion in market value for the first time as the AI chip boom lifted memory stocks.
The rally has been concentrated in semiconductor heavyweights, with the KOSPI racing from 5,000 to 8,000 in a matter of months. SK Hynix, Samsung and Micron are now simultaneously above $1 trillion in market value, reflecting strong demand for high-bandwidth memory chips used in AI data centers.
From the sources (8 posts)
@firstsquawkSamsung Electronics shares jumped over 7%, leading gains in South Korean equities.
@firstsquawkThe KOSPI rallied over 2%, led by gains in heavyweight technology shares.
@firstsquawkThe KOSPI hit an all-time high as investor sentiment strengthened in Seoul markets.
@bulltheoryioBREAKING:South Korea’s KOSPI added ₩305,000,000,000,000 ($220 BILLION) market value and hit ALL-TIME HIGH. KOSPI surged +4% to 8380, mainly driven by SAMSUNG +6.5% and SkHynix +9.5%, which controls 42% of the entire Index. KOSPI exploded
@globalmktobserv🚨THIS IS INSANE: SK Hynix has surged +1,000% over the last 12 months, crossing a $1.08 trillion market cap for the first time, becoming the 3rd Asian company to join the $1 trillion club after Samsung and TSMC. Furthermore, Micron soared
@globalmktobserv‼️South Korean stocks are SKYROCKETING: The KOSPI has surged +100% in 2026, the best annual performance on record, after just 5 months of the year. The current run surpasses the gains seen during the late 1980s industrial boom and the 200
@kalshiJUST IN: South Korea’s stock market is now up 100% in 2026
@reutersSK Hynix joins $1 trillion club after Samsung, Micron on AI chip boom