Samsung Group ETF Surges 57% This Year on Chip, Battery Rally
Samsung Group ETF surged 57% this year as Samsung Electronics, Electro-Mechanics, and SDI rallied on AI-driven demand, while Goldman Sachs raised its KOSPI target to 8,000.
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KOSDAQ Extends Rally to Six Sessions; Earnings Key to Breaking 1,200
The KOSDAQ index closed at 1,170.04 on the 17th, rising for six consecutive sessions. Analysts say earnings from leading sectors are key to breaking the 1,200 level.
Margin Loans Hit Record 33.8 Trillion Won as Brokerages Compete With Sub-4% Rates
Korea's margin loan balance hit a record 33.87 trillion won on Nov. 16 as brokerages competed with sub-4% rates, with Samsung Electronics and SK hynix topping leveraged investment rankings.
Samsung Develops 8nm MRAM, Achieves Industry-Leading Yield
Samsung Electronics unveiled 8nm MRAM at ISSCC 2026 with industry-leading yield, achieving 62.5% faster write speeds over 14nm, while KOSPI reclaimed 6,200 and SK hynix hit a record.
KOSPI Hits 6091, Recovers to Pre-War Levels; 7000 Within Reach This Month
KOSPI recovers to 6091.39, reclaiming pre-war levels after 32 trading days. Samsung Electronics foundry confirmed for Tesla AI5 chip production as import prices surge 16.1%, the largest increase in 28 years.
KOSPI Touches 6000 Intraday for First Time Since Iran War, 43 Days After Conflict
KOSPI touched 6000 intraday for the first time since the Iran war as foreigners turned net buyers after 3 months, concentrating on Samsung Electronics and SK hynix. NPS expanded low-PBR and semiconductor materials holdings.
Post-War VI Triggers on KOSPI, KOSDAQ Surge 2.5 Times Above Monthly Average
KOSPI and KOSDAQ volatility triggers surged to 11,965 cases in March, 2.5 times the monthly average, as Middle East war disrupts supply chains for aluminum, helium, and semiconductor materials.
Samsung Reclaims Global Smartphone Crown in Q1 on Galaxy S26 Success
Samsung Electronics reclaimed the global smartphone market lead in Q1 2025 with 22% share, beating Apple's 20%, driven by Galaxy S26 success. IMF set to revise Korea growth forecast amid US-Iran tensions.
Listed REITs Market Cap Tops 10 Trillion Won, Milestone After 25 Years
Korea's listed REITs market cap surpasses 10 trillion won for the first time in 25 years, offering 7.5% dividend yields amid market volatility. Short sellers maintain positions on semiconductor stocks despite rebounds.
Samsung Earnings Surprise Lifts KOSPI Annual Profit Forecast to 754 Trillion Won
Samsung Electronics' record Q1 operating profit of 57.2 trillion won, beating estimates by 42%, lifted KOSPI annual profit forecast to 754 trillion won while foreign investors withdrew a record 54 trillion won amid Middle East tensions.
KOSPI Surges 6.87% as Retail Investors Post Record 5 Trillion Won Sell-Off
KOSPI surged 6.87% to 5,872 on U.S.-Iran ceasefire and Samsung Electronics earnings surprise, while retail investors posted record 5.4 trillion won sell-off. February current account surplus hit record $23.2 billion.
Samsung Electronics Q1 Operating Profit Hits 57 Trillion Won, Beating Estimates by 42%
Samsung Electronics posted Q1 operating profit of 57.2 trillion won, beating market estimates by 42.3%, as AI-driven memory demand fueled a super cycle with DRAM prices surging 39.8%.
Samsung Electronics Sweeps 10 Trillion Won in EUV Orders, Bets Big on HBM War
Samsung Electronics orders 70 lithography tools including 20 EUV units worth over 10 trillion won from ASML to expand 1c DRAM and HBM4 capacity, while Korean transformer makers land major North American contracts.
BOK Eyes 7th Consecutive Rate Hold; Samsung Q1 Operating Profit Seen at 40 Trillion Won
Samsung Electronics' Q1 operating profit is forecast at 40 trillion won, nearing its full-year 2024 figure. BOK is expected to hold rates for a 7th straight meeting amid Middle East tensions, while construction stocks surge on nuclear and reconstruction themes.
Overseas Stock Sell-Off Fuels Domestic Shift as RIA Accounts Hit 90,000
Korea's Return Investment Accounts (RIA) surpass 91,923 accounts in 10 days with 482.6 billion won in assets, as energy ETFs hit 43% returns and foreign reserves drop $4 billion to a 26-year ranking low.
Energy ETFs Return 43%, Lead All S&P 500 Sectors
Energy ETFs returned 43.44% this year as oil topped $100/barrel amid Iran tensions, leading all S&P 500 sectors. Semiconductor bond-hybrid ETFs see four-way competition, while treasury stock buybacks show weakening price support.
Google Opens Up Gemma 4 After Losing Developers to DeepSeek
Google released Gemma 4 with an Apache 2.0 license for unrestricted commercial use, shifting to an open-source strategy after DeepSeek and Qwen captured developer ecosystems with their open LLMs.
KOSPI Operating Profit Hits Record 245 Trillion Won; Excluding Samsung, SK Hynix, Growth Halves
KOSPI-listed companies posted record operating profit of 245 trillion won last year, but excluding Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, growth drops to 10.76%. Markets rattled by Trump's Iran remarks, Anjeon Industries fire disrupts Hyundai-Kia production.
KOSPI Surges 8% on Ceasefire Hopes; Analysts Urge Caution
KOSPI surged 8.44% to 5,478.70 on U.S.-Iran ceasefire expectations as institutions net bought 4 trillion won. March exports hit a record $86.1 billion led by a 151% jump in semiconductor shipments.
Target Price Upgrades Plunge 63% — One Month After Middle East Shock
KOSPI plunged 19.08% in March amid the Middle East war shock, with foreigners posting a record 35.8 trillion won net sell-off. Target price upgrade reports dropped 63%, while gold, bonds, and the won fell in tandem.
Samsung Electronics Q1 DRAM Profit Alone Hits 33 Trillion Won as Memory Eyes 40 Trillion Era
Samsung Electronics' Q1 DRAM operating profit is projected at 33 trillion won as HBM revenue triples year-on-year, while KOSPI retreats below 5,200 on Middle East tensions and foreign selling of 32 trillion won.
Dow Enters Correction With 10% Drop From Peak as Stocks, Bonds, Oil Roil
The Dow entered correction territory with a 10.01% drop from its peak as the U.S.-Israel-Iran war escalated. The Korean won fell 4.72% — the worst among major currencies — while ETF investment share tripled in four years.
Samsung Electronics Foreign Ownership Hits 12-Year Low as Offshore Investors Dump 51 Trillion Won Since February
Foreign investors net sold 51.4 trillion won since February, pushing Samsung Electronics' foreign ownership to a 12.5-year low of 48.90%. LG Energy Solution raised $1.6B in bonds amid war risks.
Semiconductor Stocks Plunge on Google TurboQuant — "Actual Effect Limited to 2.6x"
Google's TurboQuant algorithm triggered a sell-off in Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, but analysts say actual memory reduction is limited to 2.6x. OECD cuts Korea's growth forecast to 1.7%. Hanwha Solutions announces 2.4 trillion won rights offering.
Qatar LNG Disruption Ripples Across Semiconductors, Steel, and Shipping
Qatar's LNG force majeure declaration disrupts helium supply for semiconductors, while SK hynix targets 100 trillion won in net cash and Arm unveils its first proprietary AI CPU to challenge Intel and AMD.
Leveraged ETFs Draw 3 Trillion Won in One Month as Retail Investors Ramp Up High-Risk Bets
Korean retail investors poured 3.13 trillion won into leveraged ETFs in one month amid extreme KOSPI volatility, while SK hynix announced a 12 trillion won EUV equipment deal and active ETF assets neared 100 trillion won.
KOSPI Plunges 6% as Foreigners Sell 20 Trillion Won This Month
KOSPI plunged 6.49% to 5,405.75 as Middle East tensions drove WTI above $100 and the won to 1,517.3. Foreigners net sold 20.3 trillion won this month. Treasury share cancellations topped 200 firms, and 8,308 RIA accounts opened on day one.