Key facts
- Global stock markets surged on Thursday due to strong chipmaker forecasts.
- Micron and Qualcomm provided optimistic forecasts, reigniting the AI rally.
- European shares climbed, with the STOXX 600 index gaining 0.27%.
- European tech stocks rose by 1.7%.
- The South Korean KOSPI index surged over 5% on Thursday.
- The KOSPI briefly surpassed 9,000 points.
- Foreign investors sold a record 47 trillion won in South Korean stocks in May.
- Samsung Electronics led the global DRAM market in Q1 2026.
- Samsung Electronics held a 38% revenue share in the global DRAM market in Q1 2026.
- South Korean stocks opened lower on Friday due to U.S. tech losses and profit-taking concerns.
Global stock markets saw significant gains on Thursday, primarily fueled by optimistic forecasts from U.S. chipmakers, including Micron and Qualcomm. These positive outlooks revived the artificial intelligence rally, leading to advances in European shares. The STOXX 600 index in Europe rose by 0.27%, with its technology sector experiencing a more substantial increase of 1.7%.
In South Korea, the KOSPI index surged by over 5% on Thursday, briefly crossing the 9,000-point threshold. This rally was largely attributed to the positive sentiment surrounding chipmakers. Despite the market's upward movement, foreign investors engaged in record selling, offloading 47 trillion won worth of stocks in May, indicating a notable shift in market sentiment and potential profit-taking.
Further bolstering the semiconductor sector, Samsung Electronics maintained its dominant position in the global DRAM market during the first quarter of 2026. The South Korean tech giant secured a 38% revenue share, widening its lead over its competitor, SK hynix. However, following the U.S. tech sector's losses and concerns over profit-taking, South Korean stocks opened lower on Friday.