SK Hynix shares surged nearly 4% in early trading.
As of Wednesday morning, SK Hynix was trading at KRW 218,000, up KRW 8,000 (3.81%) from the previous day’s close.
Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics traded at KRW 58,300, up KRW 1,400 (2.46%) from the previous day. This was its highest intraday price this year.
Investor sentiment improved after the National Assembly’s Planning and Finance Committee passed the “K-Chips Act” yesterday. This revised tax exemption law aims to boost the tax credit rate for semiconductor companies by 5 percentage points.
Under the amendment, the semiconductor sector, currently classified as a national strategic technology, will be designated as a separate category. The tax credit rate will increase from 15% to 20% for large and medium-sized enterprises and 25% to 30% for small and medium-sized enterprises, each rising by 5 percentage points.
Intel Corporation’s stock surged about 16% in overnight U.S. trading, signaling a positive trend for the domestic semiconductor industry.
Intel’s sharp gains follow reports that Taiwan’s TSMC and U.S.-based Broadcom are considering acquiring the company.
Seo Sang Young, an analyst at Mirae Asset Securities, noted that Intel’s stock jumped 16% on news of potential mergers and acquisitions involving TSMC and Broadcom, viewing this as a positive signal for the semiconductor industry’s outlook.
However, Han Ji Young, an analyst at Kiwoom Securities, cautioned that while the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index remains strong due to the Intel effect and expectations of a NAND price rebound in the third quarter, rising U.S. interest rates could trigger profit-taking, slowing the market’s upward momentum.