Samsung, SK Hynix Stocks Hit One-Year Highs After OpenAI Partnership Boosts Investor Confidence

South Korea’s leading chipmakers, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, surged to their highest stock levels in a year on Thursday, following landmark deals with OpenAI that reignited investor optimism in the global AI race. The rally pushed Seoul’s benchmark KOSPI index above 3,500 points for the first time in history, signaling renewed confidence in the country’s semiconductor-driven economy.

Samsung Electronics, South Korea’s largest conglomerate and a global powerhouse in technology, climbed nearly 4.7 percent in early trade — its strongest price level in almost five years. Similarly, SK Hynix, a major supplier of memory chips worldwide, jumped more than 10 percent, marking its highest point in 52 weeks. Analysts say the surge reflects not just the OpenAI deals but also broader optimism about AI-driven demand in the semiconductor sector.

The spike came a day after both companies revealed they had signed preliminary agreements with OpenAI to supply chips and equipment for its ambitious Stargate project. The initiative, unveiled during OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s visit to Seoul, aims to expand AI infrastructure on a global scale. According to OpenAI, the project could require up to 900,000 DRAM wafers per month, a demand SK Hynix said is more than twice the current industry capacity for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips.

The partnerships also highlight South Korea’s growing importance in the global AI ecosystem. Altman met with President Lee Jae Myung, who said the OpenAI chief praised the nation’s “unmatched industrial base” and pledged closer collaboration to make South Korea a leading AI hub in the Asia-Pacific region. The deals align with the United States’ $500 billion AI infrastructure plan, introduced under President Donald Trump, which positions allied countries as key players in future AI development.

Adding to the momentum, government data released Wednesday showed that South Korea’s semiconductor exports hit a record high, powered by the surging demand for AI-related chips. With Nvidia also planning up to $100 billion in OpenAI-linked data centers, analysts believe the Samsung and SK Hynix deals will further cement the country’s leadership in the global semiconductor supply chain — and keep investors bullish on the AI boom.

source: The Guardian