Samsung and SK Hynix shares slide as AI customer risks replace chip supply concerns

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix shares plunged 9.3% and 11% respectively in Seoul on Thursday, dragging the KOSPI down over 7%, as investor focus shifted from chip supply to the financial health of AI customers. The selloff followed Wall Street losses driven by higher US inflation and declines in AI infrastructure stocks, raising doubts about returns on massive data center spending. Concerns deepened after CoreWeave fell 16%, with analysts questioning whether major AI firms will generate expected profits. Memory demand remains strong, with ASML reporting AI-driven orders ahead of capacity through 2028. However, CoreWeave's $52 billion debt and rising financing costs have made future capital expenditure harder to justify, though analysts expect technical rebounds after seven straight losing sessions.