Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix shares extended their rebound on Monday as South Korean chip exporters reported record semiconductor shipments, reviving appetite for AI-linked memory stocks across global markets.
Samsung climbed 4.21% by late morning in Seoul, while SK Hynix gained 1%; the KOSPI rose 1.55% to 7,000.88, reclaiming the 7,000 level intraday for the first time in eight sessions. Wall Street provided support after the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose 2.78% on Friday.
According to Korea Customs Service data, South Korea exported $34.12 billion of semiconductors during the first 20 days of September, up 259% from a year earlier. Total exports reached a record $71.4 billion, with chips accounting for 47.8% — also a record. Shipments to China more than doubled to $16.6 billion, while exports to the U.S. jumped 118% to $14.2 billion.
The rally also reflects a shift in competitive positioning. Seoul Economic Daily reported that Samsung’s HBM4 production yield improved from below 60% during early mass production to around 80%, supporting larger-scale shipments. Samsung expects third-quarter HBM4 revenue to more than triple sequentially and HBM4 to exceed 60% of second-half HBM revenue. Counterpoint Research data showed Samsung captured 33% of global HBM revenue in the second quarter, up from 21% in the first, while SK Hynix remained the leader at 50%, down from 58%.
KB Securities head of research Kim Dong-won said AI’s supply constraint is shifting toward memory, networking, storage and power, and that memory supply and demand could tighten further in 2027. LS Securities raised its Samsung target to 450,000 won and cut its SK Hynix target, describing the move as a normalization of supplier competition. BNK Investment & Securities took a more cautious view, cutting Samsung to Hold with a 270,000-won target and lowering SK Hynix second-half earnings estimates on slower memory demand, pricing pressure and a stronger won.
Intel, Micron and AMD gained in U.S. premarket trading following the export data, and falling oil prices also eased some pressure on expensive technology stocks.
