FX.co ★ South Korean Shares Extend Record Run

South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI rose 0.5% to around 8,910 on Thursday, extending its rally to a new record high as strong gains in AI-linked semiconductor stocks continued to drive the market. SK Hynix climbed more than 3% after announcing it had shipped samples of its next-generation 12-layer HBM4E memory chips to key customers, bolstering optimism over AI-driven demand. Samsung Electronics added 1.0%, while SK Square advanced 3.8%.

Investor sentiment held firm despite a hawkish tone from the US Federal Reserve, which left interest rates unchanged but signaled a higher-for-longer rate trajectory than previously anticipated. At the same time, easing concerns over energy supply disruptions and geopolitical risk following the US–Iran peace agreement supported risk appetite. South Korean authorities noted that the improving backdrop could help stabilize global energy markets and reduce uncertainty for the country’s export-dependent economy.