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Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix fell sharply on Friday as a selloff in US chip stocks spilled into South Korea, raising fresh questions about the country's heavy dependence on the artificial intelligence boom. The KOSPI opened 3.66% lower and later dropped as much as 5.7%, prompting the Korea Exchange to trigger a sell-side sidecar that briefly suspended programme trading.
Samsung and SK Hynix are key to soaring South Korean stock market, but a rate hike could trigger a 15% market correction.
South Korea's AI-fueled rally has made it the world's sixth-largest stock market, and the rally may be far from over. Investors may want to keep South Korea ETFs on their radar.
Asian equities fell on Tuesday as doubts over a Middle East ceasefire weighed on risk appetite, offsetting optimism around artificial intelligence funding and potential listings. MSCI's Asia-Pacific index excluding Japan slipped 0.6% after a volatile open.
Matthews Asia's Sean Taylor explains why he remains constructive on China despite the broader indexes lagging some high-performing sectors. He also outlines his South Korea strategy, including an overweight call on chipmakers balanced by exposure to industrials.
South Korean tech firm Kakao Corp said it has failed to reach a pay deal with its union after second-round negotiations mediated by the government on Wednesday.
Call it a K-pop.
South Korea is emerging as one of the strongest AI plays outside the United States. Semiconductor strength & AI optimism are driving KOSPI and South Korea ETFs.
Japan's Nikkei 225 climbed to a record high on Wednesday, as a rally in semiconductor shares outweighed weakness in banks and real estate stocks. The benchmark index rose 1.25% to 65,811.78 as of 0147 GMT, after touching an intraday high of 66,428.81.
Asia's smaller companies have delivered stronger returns than the region's large-cap stocks over the past five years, while also offering lower volatility and broader sector exposure, according to HSBC Asset Management. The firm said Asia small-cap stocks outperformed their large-cap counterparts by nearly 3% annualised at the index level over the period.
Investors are focusing on AI developments in North Asia. China is coming out of more than three years of deflation measured by the producer price index.
About 10 companies from countries including Indonesia, South Korea and Singapore have filed for Hong Kong listings this year and some others are exploring options, an exchange executive said, as the market's robust IPO momentum lures global firms.
South Korea's stock market is on track for another superb year as it swats away tariff and energy threats to its economy.
SK Innovation , owner of South Korea's top refiner SK Energy, said on Wednesday the normalisation of production and logistics of its refining business is expected to take time even if the Middle East conflict is resolved.
A top South Korean official has proposed a tax on AI profits to be redistributed among society as a semiconductor boom drives massive earnings for tech giants Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.
Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF offers pure, cost-effective exposure to Korea's surging tech-driven market, with a 0.09% expense ratio and strong liquidity. Korea's export boom, led by semiconductors and shipbuilding, drives record corporate earnings, with Samsung and SK hynix benefiting from the AI supercycle. Valuations remain compelling: FLKR's forward P/E is 7.66x, and KOSPI trades well below historical averages, suggesting significant mean reversion upside.
South Korea ETFs surge as KOSPI tops 7,000 for the first time, driven by booming AI chip demand and gains in Samsung and SK Hynix.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten agreed in their first phone call to expand cooperation in semiconductors, AI, quantum technology, batteries and offshore wind, Seoul's presidential Blue House said.
Asian markets opened Thursday with a powerful relief bid, as investors leaned into hopes that tensions in the Middle East may ease enough to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. Japan set the tone, with the Nikkei 225 vaulting through 62,000 for the first time, while broader regional equities also pushed higher.
South Korea's exports continued to surge in April, led by semiconductor shipments, suggesting the trade-dependent economy remains resilient despite risks from the Middle East conflict.
Asian markets began on Wednesday on an uneven footing as investors weighed multiple factors. The sentiment appeared cautious following a technology-led selloff in the United States, fresh concerns about the sustainability of AI spending, and lingering tension surrounding the Iran conflict.
Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF offers targeted exposure to Korea's undervalued, AI-driven equity market. FLKR tracks the FTSE South Korea Index, capping single-stock weights at 20%, limiting Samsung and SK Hynix concentration versus EWY's 25% cap. Korea's Value-Up program and lower dividend taxation have improved shareholder returns, supporting the investment case.
South Korea's stock market tops the UK, and ETFs like EWY give investors a direct way to tap into the country's powerful equity rally.
South Korea ETFs like EWY rally as KOSPI hits record highs, fueled by AI-driven semiconductor demand and strong foreign inflows.
The tenuous ceasefire in Iran has the S&P 500 roaring back to life, reversing a month-long decline that put consumers and investors on edge. But the jump in U.S. stocks might have hidden the true beneficiaries: international stocks dependent on energy imports to sustain their economies.
The Franklin FTSE South Korea ETF (FLKR) offers the most cost-effective exposure to South Korea's dynamic economy. FLKR's outperformance is driven by Korean memory giants Samsung and SK Hynix, benefiting from a global AI-driven memory shortage expected to last years. Current geopolitical risks, notably the Strait of Hormuz closure, present material downside if energy imports to South Korea are disrupted.
South Korea's $350B U.S. investment pledge could lift the country's export momentum while boosting key U.S. sectors. Here are some ETFs that may benefit.
