{"id":73787,"date":"2026-10-28T22:08:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T02:08:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/samsung-and-sk-hynix-pivot-to-ai-driven-foundry-and-nand-expansion-amid-regional-market-volatility\/73787\/"},"modified":"2026-10-28T22:08:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T02:08:13","slug":"samsung-and-sk-hynix-pivot-to-ai-driven-foundry-and-nand-expansion-amid-regional-market-volatility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/samsung-and-sk-hynix-pivot-to-ai-driven-foundry-and-nand-expansion-amid-regional-market-volatility\/73787\/","title":{"rendered":"Samsung and SK Hynix Pivot to AI-Driven Foundry and NAND Expansion Amid Regional Market Volatility"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Samsung Electronics (<a href=\"\/stock\/005930\">005930<\/a>)<\/strong> reported a record-breaking <strong>KRW 107.4 trillion<\/strong> ($80.4 billion) in Q3 operating profit, driven by surging AI chip demand, while announcing a massive <strong>KRW 84.4 trillion<\/strong> ($63.2 billion) 2026 capex plan focused on advanced 2nm foundry capacity.<\/li>\n<li><strong>SK Hynix (<a href=\"\/stock\/000660\">000660<\/a>)<\/strong> subsidiary <strong>Solidigm<\/strong> is in advanced negotiations with the U.S. Department of Commerce for a potential <strong>$45 billion<\/strong> NAND flash plant, though final approval remains contingent on equipment export permits for its existing Dalian, China facility.<\/li>\n<li>South Korean and Japanese markets showed high volatility as the <strong>KOSPI<\/strong> fell <strong>2.4%<\/strong> and the <strong>Nikkei 225<\/strong> erased early gains to trade flat, with investors bracing for the <strong>Bank of Japan\u2019s<\/strong> upcoming policy announcement.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>Korean Won<\/strong> appreciated slightly to <strong>1,332.70<\/strong> against the US Dollar, even as Samsung warned of a quarter-on-quarter revenue decline for its mobile division in Q4 due to rising component costs and a shift in product mix.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Samsung Sets Record Profit, Doubles Down on Foundry<\/h2>\n<p>Samsung Electronics (<a href=\"\/stock\/005930\">005930<\/a>) has solidified its lead in the AI era, reporting a historic <strong>KRW 107.4 trillion<\/strong> in quarterly operating profit for Q3 2026. This performance marks the first time a global technology firm has surpassed the <strong>KRW 100 trillion<\/strong> threshold in a single quarter, fueled by a <strong>9-fold increase<\/strong> in year-over-year earnings from its semiconductor division.<\/p>\n<p>To sustain this momentum, the company is ramping up investments in its <strong>Taylor, Texas<\/strong> and South Korean foundry operations. Samsung plans to achieve a total <strong>2-nanometer<\/strong> production capacity of <strong>20,000 wafers per month<\/strong> by the second half of 2027, leveraging its new U.S. facility to meet aggressive demand for high-performance computing (HPC) and AI applications.<\/p>\n<h2>SK Hynix and Solidigm\u2019s U.S. Ambitions<\/h2>\n<p>SK Hynix (<a href=\"\/stock\/000660\">000660<\/a>) is exploring a major expansion of its U.S. footprint through its subsidiary, <strong>Solidigm<\/strong>. Reports indicate the company is discussing a <strong>$45 billion<\/strong> investment for a new NAND flash manufacturing plant, with New York emerging as a primary candidate for the site.<\/p>\n<p>However, the deal faces a complex geopolitical hurdle. <strong>Solidigm<\/strong> is reportedly seeking U.S. government permission to upgrade its existing plant in <strong>Dalian, China<\/strong>, arguing that the revenue generated from the Chinese facility is essential to financing the multi-billion dollar American project.<\/p>\n<h2>Regional Markets React to Central Bank Uncertainty<\/h2>\n<p>Asian markets experienced a turbulent session on Thursday as investors awaited the <strong>Bank of Japan&#39;s (BOJ)<\/strong> policy decision. While the BOJ is widely expected to hold rates at <strong>1.25%<\/strong>, <strong>JGB yields<\/strong> moved higher as traders positioned for potentially hawkish guidance regarding a December rate hike.<\/p>\n<p>In Seoul, the <strong>KOSPI<\/strong> slumped <strong>2.4%<\/strong>, reversing recent gains despite the stellar earnings from major chipmakers. The <em>Korean Won<\/em> saw a modest appreciation to <strong>1,332.70<\/strong> per dollar, though market sentiment remained cautious due to projected revenue headwinds in Samsung\u2019s mobile business and broader concerns over the sustainability of the AI spending cycle.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Samsung Electronics (005930) reported a record-breaking KRW 107.4 trillion ($80.4 billion) in Q3 operating profit, driven by surging 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