Micron's Strong Earnings Lift Semiconductor Giants

[Financial News, New York and Seoul = Correspondents Lee Byung-chul and Im Hyun-hyuk] The strong earnings jump at Micron Technology, Inc. in the United States, which helped ease concerns over an AI bubble, sent Korea's two semiconductor giants soaring. As expectations grew that the profit cycle for chip stocks would continue amid a memory supply shortage, shares of Samsung Electronics and SK hynix posted sharp gains.
According to the Korea Exchange (KRX) on the 25th, the KOSPI closed at 8,930.30, up 459.28 points, or 5.42%, from the previous session. The index opened 2.74% higher at 8,703.42, then extended its gains to an intraday high of 9,044.04, triggering a temporary suspension of program buy orders, known as a buy-side sidecar. It was the fifth buy-side sidecar this month. Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, the market's No. 1 and No. 2 companies by market capitalization, led the rally. On the day, Samsung Electronics rose 5.29%, while SK hynix jumped 13.06%.
The upbeat mood also lifted semiconductor-related exchange-traded funds across the board. According to Koscom Corporation's ETF Check, the day's top gainers included Hanwha PLUS Global HBM Semiconductor ETF, up 10.28%; TIGER Japan Semiconductor FACTSET, up 8.98%; KoAct Global AI Memory Semiconductor Active, up 7.42%; and KODEX Semiconductor Target Weekly Covered Call, up 6.96%.
The positive momentum from Micron improved investor sentiment toward semiconductors. On the 24th local time, Micron Technology, Inc. announced that revenue for the third quarter of its fiscal 2025, covering March to May, reached $41.456 billion, about 64 trillion won, roughly 4.5 times higher than the $9.301 billion recorded a year earlier. The figure far exceeded the company's revenue guidance of $33.5 billion. In particular, the market paid close attention to the company's ability to weather memory price volatility through long-term contracts.
yimsh0214@fnnews.com Reporter