Memory chip boom lifts SK Hynix past $1 trillion

Memory-chip demand from AI-enabled systems propelled SK Hynix past a $1 trillion market value for the first time on May 27, with the stock rising as much as 14.9% and closing about 9.3% higher, lifting the company to 1,680 trillion won (~$1.12 trillion). The surge places SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics among the few outside the U.S. to exceed $1 trillion in market value, as AI memory chips tighten supply and push prices higher—quarterly memory prices reportedly doubled with forecasts of up to 63% gains this quarter. Analysts see continued strength, noting Korea’s leading chipmakers now dominate a large portion of the KOSPI.