KOSPI Reaches 8,726 Amid US-Iran Ceasefire: Outlook for Samsung & SK Hynix

Amid significantly eased geopolitical risks following the news of a US-Iran ceasefire agreement, the KOSPI index showed a strong rally led by large-cap stocks, successfully settling at the 8,726 mark. In particular, heavy net buying by foreign and institutional investors has driven up the stock prices of South Korea's semiconductor heavyweights, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, leading the overall market surge.

Geopolitical Relief Opens the KOSPI 8,726 Era

The recent surprise news of a ceasefire between the US and Iran has stabilized global oil prices and calmed fears of prolonged inflation. This has strongly stimulated the risk appetite of foreign investors towards emerging markets, particularly South Korea. As the market volatility triggered by the sharp decline earlier this month significantly contracts, KOSPI has rapidly broken through the 8,726 level, entering a new phase.

Foreign 'Buy Korea' Focuses on Samsung and SK Hynix

The core driver of this KOSPI rally is the strong 'Buy Korea' sentiment among foreign investors. The buying spree has been intensely concentrated on semiconductor leaders, fueled by the global AI boom and infrastructure expansion by US big tech companies like Microsoft and Meta.

• Samsung Electronics: Showing a strong rebound due to highlighted competitiveness in HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) driven by global AI demand and expectations of new foundry orders.
• SK Hynix: Identified as the biggest beneficiary of the semiconductor supercycle expected to last through the second half of 2026, supported by strong earnings from major North American clients.

Securities analysts forecast that with solid AI-driven demand and intensifying memory supply shortages, both semiconductor giants will continue to deliver earnings surprises in the second half of the year.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. Will the upward trend in semiconductor stocks continue in the second half?

Global big tech companies' aggressive investments in AI server infrastructure are expected to continue through late 2026. As the HBM supply shortage is unlikely to be resolved in the short term, the prevailing analysis is that the earnings-backed upward trend has a high probability of continuing.

Q2. Is it too late to invest in semiconductor stocks now?

Temporary corrections may occur as profit-taking orders appear following short-term surges in large-cap stocks. However, since the broader direction of the semiconductor supercycle is clear, a valid strategy is to approach investments while monitoring quarterly earnings and new order announcements of individual companies.