KOSPI climbs 1.44% as Samsung and SK Hynix rally on AI optimism

South Korean shares climbed Wednesday, led by significant advances in Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Investor appetite for artificial intelligence-related stocks remained strong, driving gains across the market. The benchmark KOSPI index rose 100.16 points, or 1.44%, to close at 7,054.68 as of 01:30 GMT. The index has gained 67.40% so far this year. Samsung Electronics advanced 1.39%, while SK Hynix jumped 3.46%, tracking positive sentiment from the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index which rose 1.3% in overnight trading. Other major stocks traded higher, including LG Energy Solution at 0.29% and Hyundai Motor at 0.26%. Foreign investors were net sellers of South Korean shares worth $130.2 million. The won strengthened 0.28% to 1,339.1 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform. Government bond yields edged lower as capital flowed into equities.