Key Takeaways
- Samsung Electronics rebounded 8.22% Friday following Thursday’s steep 9.1% decline
- South Korea’s KOSPI index completed a dramatic V-shaped reversal, gaining 5.76% to finish at 8,088.34 after touching 7,300 intraday
- News emerged that Anthropic is discussing custom AI hardware development with Samsung, providing momentum for the rally
- SK Hynix climbed 10.88% Friday, recovering from its previous session’s 14.6% plunge
- Despite recent volatility, the KOSPI maintains its position as 2026’s top-performing major global index with approximately 92% year-to-date gains
Samsung Electronics shares experienced a powerful Friday rally, advancing 8.22% following Thursday’s brutal 9.1% decline. This recovery mirrored the broader momentum across South Korea’s KOSPI index, which had activated circuit breakers during Thursday’s intense market-wide liquidation.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., SMSD.L
The KOSPI initially plummeted to 7,300 during Friday’s early trading before executing an impressive V-shaped turnaround, ultimately finishing 5.76% higher at 8,088.34. Thursday’s trading session had witnessed the index tumble 7.89% — marking one of the year’s most severe single-day declines.
Emerging reports indicating AI company Anthropic is engaged in discussions with Samsung regarding custom AI hardware development provided investors with renewed confidence. This development helped propel the recovery in both Samsung and its semiconductor competitor SK Hynix.
SK Hynix surged 10.88% Friday, bouncing back from its devastating 14.6% drop the previous day. As the KOSPI’s two largest components, these chipmakers’ movements significantly influence the overall index direction.
Thursday’s market rout was partially magnified by liquidation in heavily leveraged single-stock exchange-traded funds. South Korea’s financial oversight body openly expressed concerns regarding this particular market dynamic.
Anthropic Partnership Speculation Energizes Investors
Friday’s rally extended beyond mere technical recovery. The reports surrounding Anthropic-Samsung custom hardware collaboration provided a fundamental catalyst complementing bargain hunting and short position covering following Thursday’s extreme panic.
Samsung’s stock continues trading significantly beneath its 52-week peak of 374,500 won, suggesting potential for additional upside if the AI memory narrative maintains momentum.
The KOSPI’s extraordinary 2026 performance has been almost exclusively driven by the AI memory sector boom. The index’s roughly 92% year-to-date advance overshadows every other major global benchmark. The S&P 500, in contrast, has gained merely 9.3%.
AI Memory Boom Extends Beyond Seoul
The AI memory sector’s explosive growth isn’t limited to South Korean markets. American competitor Micron concluded Thursday’s trading down 5.5% at $975.56, swept up in the same semiconductor selloff that pressured the Nasdaq, which declined 0.8% to cap a holiday-shortened trading week.
Micron remains up an impressive 166.4% year-to-date, a figure that underscores the extraordinary strength of the memory sector throughout 2026.
South Korea’s robust Friday recovery is being interpreted as an encouraging indicator for Micron when American markets resume trading Monday following the Independence Day holiday.
Friday’s substantial gains in Samsung and SK Hynix resulted from a combination of technical short-covering activity, value-seeking investors, and short-term capital all simultaneously pursuing the recovery momentum.
Samsung’s shares finished Friday’s session 8.22% higher, while SK Hynix concluded trading up 10.88%.
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