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Samsung Electronics' market cap surpasses $1 trln after US AI chip stocks surge
Samsung became only the second Asian company to top $1 trillion as investors bet AI chip demand will keep boosting memory profits.
On Wednesday, Samsung Electronics surpassed a $1 trillion market valuation, becoming the second Asian firm after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd to reach the milestone as shares rallied nearly 12%.
Booming demand for artificial intelligence chips drove the surge, with Samsung's semiconductor arm reporting historic March-quarter profit featuring a 48-fold jump amid AI data-center orders delivering hefty margins.
The rally propelled South Korea's Korea Composite Stock Price Index above 7,000 points for the first time, with Samsung and SK Hynix commanding over 43% of the benchmark and driving regional sentiment.
Despite semiconductor gains, Samsung faces internal pressures as employees threatened an 18-day general strike later this month, while mobile and display units struggle against rising materials and component costs.
Analysts estimate Samsung's stock could rise around 30% over the next 12 months, reflecting confidence that memory's role in AI infrastructure is structural rather than cyclical, not a temporary boom.