Samsung and SK Hynix shares jump 7% as South Korea chip exports surge 222%

South Korean semiconductor stocks surged Wednesday after the country reported a 222.5% jump in chip exports, signaling strong demand and easing investor concerns about an AI spending slowdown. SK Hynix rose 7.11% to 1.31 million won, while Samsung gained 5.56% to 223,250 won, lifting the KOSPI index by 3.28%. Foreign investors bought a net 197.3 billion won in Korean shares, reversing recent selling pressure. South Korea exported a record $27.5 billion in semiconductors in the first 20 days of October, representing 44.7% of total exports. Analysts note Samsung trades at roughly 3.5 times projected earnings and SK Hynix at 2.8 times, below historical sector lows.