Samsung Electronics was strong early on the 19th, the first trading day after the Lunar New Year holiday.
As of 9:30 a.m. that day, Samsung Electronics was trading at 189,500 won, up 8,300 won (4.58%) from the previous trading day. During the session, it rose to 190,900 won, breaking 190,000 won per share for the first time ever.
It is seen as driven by heightened expectations for earnings at related corporations amid a semiconductor boom. Overnight, the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose by nearly 1%, and U.S. tech stocks were strong. At the same time, SK hynix was also up 1.70% at 895,000 won in transaction.
The securities industry has also been steadily raising its expectations for Samsung Electronics. KB Securities projected that this year Samsung Electronics will account for 9% (170 trillion won) of operating profit among the world's top 10 corporations by operating profit.
Kim Dong-Won, head of research at KB Securities, said, "As of February, the severity of the memory supply shortage has worsened compared with the fourth quarter of last year," and noted, "Artificial intelligence (AI) data center companies are absorbing 70% of Samsung Electronics' memory shipments, solidifying the structural demand base." KB Securities set a target price of 240,000 won for Samsung Electronics.