South Korea's stock market, once a reliable indicator of global growth, has become highly volatile due to leveraged bets on AI-focused chipmakers like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. This shift has distorted fundamental valuations and prompted regulatory action.
YouGov has replaced Chief Executive Steve Hatch with immediate effect, following pressure from activist investor Gatemore Capital over the company's declining share price. Chairman Stephan Shakespeare will serve as interim CEO.
Chinese chipmaker CXMT Corp's $8.6 billion IPO saw institutional investors subscribe for 570 times the shares on offer. While indicating solid demand, this is less than recent tech IPOs, reflecting caution due to a global chip stock selloff impacting Shanghai's STAR Market.
Casio Computer's net profit more than doubled in fiscal year 2026, driven by strong demand for its inexpensive retro watch series, particularly among Gen Z. This surge has helped offset slumping G-Shock sales in China.
Foreign investors have net sold South Korean stocks this month, offloading 12.1 trillion won on the main bourse and 338.1 billion won on the secondary market. However, they remained net buyers of exchange-traded funds, purchasing 593.7 billion won worth.
Samsung's brand value reached $97.4 billion this year, an 8.9% increase from the previous year, according to a report by Brand Finance. The South Korean conglomerate ranked eighth among global technology companies, remaining the only South Korean brand in the top 10.
