SK Hynix

The launch of GPT-6 Astra is driving expectations for higher demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and sparked share gains at South Korean chipmakers, with SK Hynix seen as a direct beneficiary. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley expect a large portion of planned AI investment in 2027 to go to memory chips, supporting a revaluation of the sector. Additional support comes from joint buyback programs by SK Hynix and Samsung and a return of foreign investors, which could ease pressure on the KOSPI. » More on de.investing.com

SK Hynix held a groundbreaking for a $4 billion advanced memory packaging facility in West Lafayette, Indiana, saying the site will become a key high-bandwidth memory (HBM) production base in the U.S. by 2030. The plant will perform packaging and stacking of chips made in South Korea and China, with the first cleanroom scheduled to open in October 2028. SK Hynix expects U.S. investments and assets to exceed $45 billion by 2030, will receive up to $458 million in CHIPS Act support and up to $712 million in state incentives, and projects about 1,000 direct jobs plus 6,000 related roles. » More on cnbc.com

The SK Hynix share dropped 3.6% to 1,611,000 ₩ after a major union rejected a provisional pay package. Just over 50% of the 15,045 union members voted against the agreement, which would have included a 6.3% wage increase and a shift in profit-sharing to 40% cash and 60% stock. The reaction comes against the backdrop of strong profits from AI demand, disappointing profit-distribution measures at Samsung and jitters in the semiconductor sector ahead of Nvidia’s quarterly results; the KOSPI fell around 3%. » More on de.investing.com