South Korea's KOSPI index hits record high; global memory sector rally in tandem

Driven by increased demand for AI investment, South Korea's KOSPI index hit a record high on Thursday, closing up 3.13% at 5522.27 points, breaking the 5500-point mark for the first time. Chip stocks led the gains, with Samsung Electronics surging 6.44% (having already shipped HBM4 chips) and SK Hynix rising 3.26%. On the same day, the global memory sector also strengthened, with A-shares Biwin Memory and GigaDevice rising 7.53% and 6.55% respectively; while US-listed SanDisk and Micron Technology jumped 10.65% and 9.94% respectively. Industry sources say the market expects strong chip demand throughout next year, continuing to support the sector's strength.