Business · Markets · 1 hr ago
Samsung and SK Hynix shares pare early losses as AI concerns weigh
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix shares fell in South Korea on Oct.
19, after both opened sharply lower.
By 9:04 a.m.
local time, Samsung was down about 1% and SK Hynix about 2.7%.
Investors are questioning whether heavy AI spending will generate enough profit, amid concerns about the finances of AI cloud company CoreWeave and slower sales growth at Anthropic.
Those worries helped drive down US chip stocks, and the Philadelphia semiconductor index fell for an eighth straight trading day, its longest losing streak since the 2008 financial crisis.
The Korean chipmakers recovered some of their early losses as Nasdaq futures rose, in what one market analyst described as a rebound after recent declines.
Foreign investors and institutions were net buyers in South Korea’s main market, while individual investors were net sellers.
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix shares fell in early trading in South Korea on October 19, then pared some of their losses.
The declines followed a sell-off in US technology and semiconductor stocks amid concerns about whether heavy investment in artificial intelligence will generate profits.
At 9:04 a.m., Samsung was down 1.04% and SK Hynix was down 2.67%, after both had opened down about 4%.
The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index fell 3.83% in the previous US session, its eighth consecutive decline and its longest losing streak since the 2008 financial crisis.
Other South Korean semiconductor-related stocks also fell in early trading.
- Who
- Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, along with other South Korean semiconductor-related companies.
- What
- Their shares fell in early trading, although Samsung and SK Hynix pared some losses.
- When
- October 19, 2026. The reported prices were at 9:04 a.m. South Korean time.
- Where
- South Korea's stock market.
- Why
- Investors were concerned about whether large AI investments will produce profits, amid worries about AI-sector growth and credit risk.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix had generally been on a downward trend.
The two shares rebounded on buying, while major US semiconductor-related stocks and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index fell.
Samsung Electronics was down 1.04% and SK Hynix was down 2.67%, after both opened with sharper losses.
South Korean semiconductor-related shares including Fadu were trading lower.
- Samsung Electronics
- Down 1.04% at 213,250 won at 9:04 a.m.
- SK Hynix
- Down 2.67% at 1,238,000 won at 9:04 a.m.
- Philadelphia Semiconductor Index
- Fell 3.83%; eighth straight decline.
- Fadu
- Down 10.84% at 51,000 won at 9:40 a.m.
- South Korean foreign investors
- Net buyers of 144.7 billion won in the main market.
What people are saying
The rise in Nasdaq futures is mainly a rebound buying after the excessive declines in AI and semiconductor sectors last week.
US markets opened lower, led by AI semiconductors and data-center companies, as concerns about CoreWeave's corporate bonds resurfaced.