As hopes rise for an end to the war with Iran, the KOSPI index surged at the open on the 1st, with Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, the No. 1 and No. 2 by market cap, each up 7%.
As of 9:16 a.m., Samsung Electronics shares on the Korea Exchange were trading at 179,200 won, up 7.18% (12,000 won) from the previous session.
At the same time, SK hynix shares were trading at 865,000 won, up 7.19% (58,000 won) from the previous day.
On the 31st (local time), U.S. President Donald Trump said that cease-fire talks with Iran were going well. In addition, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said, "We are willing to end this conflict," further boosting expectations for a cease-fire.
On cease-fire hopes, New York stocks also finished higher, and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index, which had plunged in the previous session, jumped 6.24% at the close.