U.S. Market Wrap

Samsung Wins VLSI Best Paper for 3D Stacked Transistor

Samsung Electronics won Best Paper at VLSI Symposium 2026 for a 3D stacked transistor at a record 42nm gate pitch, doubling logic chip transistor density on the same die area.

KOSPI Closes Above 9,000 for the First Time Ever as Chip Rally Masks a Broad Market Divide

South Korea's KOSPI closed at 9,063.84 on June 18, 2026, crossing 9,000 for the first time in history as SK Hynix surged 6.51% and Samsung rose 4.62%, while 810 of 928 constituent stocks declined.

Hanwha Engine Q1 2026: ₩5.17 trillion backlog and positive free cash flow underpin margin recovery as SEAM acquisition reshapes balance sheet

Kakao Resumes Wage Talks Days Before June 29 'Log-Off' Strike

Kakao (035720.KS), operator of KakaoTalk — South Korea's dominant messaging and super-app platform — returned to the bargaining table on June 17 for its first wage talks since a June 10 walkout, th...

Korea's FSC Calls for Swift Mandatory Tender Offer as Academics Demand Full Buyout Rule

Korea's Financial Services Commission Vice Chairman urges rapid mandatory tender offer legislation as academics push for a full 100% buyout obligation, targeting H2 2026 enactment.

L&F (066970.KS) Q1 2026: Revenue Doubles, Operating Swing Driven by ₩136.2B Inventory Reversal

Korea's 'Seohak Ants' Outbuy US Retail Investors Fivefold on SpaceX's Debut Day, Pouring ₩1.2 Trillion Into Shares

South Korean retail investors bought ₩1.2 trillion ($885 million) in SpaceX shares on its Nasdaq debut — more than five times what US retail investors purchased on the same day.

TSMC Glass-Substrate Data Narrows Korea's First-Mover Window

TSMC has for the first time disclosed validation data for glass substrates aimed at next-generation AI-chip packaging, narrowing the window for Korean suppliers Samsung Electro-Mechanics, LG Innotek a

Posco Opens Korea's Largest Electric Arc Furnace, Launches Rare Gas Unit That Can Supply 52% of Domestic Semiconductor Demand

Posco completed Korea's largest electric arc furnace (2.5M tons, 600B won) and launched a rare gas plant that can cover 52% of domestic semiconductor demand for neon, krypton, and xenon.

Hyundai Steel and LSU Seal Research Pact Tied to USD 5.8 Billion Louisiana Steel Mill, POSCO Taking 20% Stake

Hyundai Steel and LSU signed a Master Research Agreement on June 17 for a USD 5.8 billion EAF mill in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, with POSCO backing a 20% stake worth USD 582 million and commercial launch targeted for 2029.

Doosan Fuel Cell (336260.KS) Q1 2026: Revenue Surges 45%, Backlog Crashes to ₩30B

Hugel's PE Owner Refinances ₩765 Billion Rather Than Cash Out, Signaling a Longer Hold

CBC Group, an Asia-focused healthcare private-equity firm and the controlling shareholder of Hugel (145020.KQ), Korea's largest medical-aesthetics company specializing in botulinum toxin and hyaluroni

Samsung Union Puts Chairman to a Vote Amid Bonus Backlash

Samsung's largest union holds confidence vote on chairman after May wage deal's chip-tilted bonus structure drove 20,000 members to quit.

ABL Bio Gastric Cancer Drug Wins FDA Fast Track as Phase 3 Launch Nears

ABL Bio's bispecific antibody Givastomig received FDA Fast Track designation for HER2-negative advanced gastric cancer on June 16, accelerating its path to a Phase 3 trial opening in Q4 2026.

SK Group Tops ₩2,000 Trillion — and 94% Rides on SK Hynix

SK Group — South Korea's second-largest conglomerate by market value, anchored by memory-chip maker SK Hynix — saw the combined market capitalization of its lis

Hanwha Ocean Bids for Canada's USD 44 Billion Submarine Fleet as Ottawa Weighs Final Choice Between Korea and Germany

Canada is set to pick between South Korea's Hanwha Ocean and Germany's TKMS for a USD 43.5 billion submarine contract — the largest Korean defense export ever if won. Decision expected June 2026.