# The South Korean stock market appeared relatively stagnant, with few catalysts capable of sustaining long-term bullish momentum.

*semiconductor · news · 2026-05-13 · MarketScreener*

## Key points

- South Korean retail investors have shifted focus from foreign stocks to domestic tech giants Samsung and SK Hynix.
- Exploding demand for HBM4 memory used in AI infrastructure has boosted Samsung and SK Hynix's pricing power.
- Retail investors bought 2,900bn KOW of local equities in one day, outpacing foreign investors' net selling.
- Retail margin trading on KOSPI stocks hit 24,900bn KOW, nearing its all-time high from April.
- Over 3,700bn KOW of recent retail investments targeted just Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix stocks.

**Companies:** Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix
**Countries:** South Korea

[Read the full story on MarketScreener](https://www.marketscreener.com/news/the-south-korean-ants-bring-the-kospi-to-new-highs-ce7f5bdcda81f62c)

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