Kospi falls below 8,000 as AI demand fears hit chip stocks

South Korea's Kospi index has fallen through the 8,000 mark, a closely watched level, with the drop driven primarily by weakness in chip stocks amid growing concern that AI-related demand for semiconductors may be cooling or at least being repriced by the market. The move reflects broader anxiety about whether the explosive capex cycle from hyperscalers is translating into durable chip orders, or whether inventory buildup and capex hesitancy could cause a demand air pocket.

The two largest Kospi heavyweights — Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix — are at the center of this selloff, as both companies derive significant revenue from HBM and DRAM products tied directly to AI server buildouts. Any signal that AI infrastructure spending is slowing hits these names disproportionately, given how much of their recent rally has been predicated on a sustained upcycle.

The bull case rests on the view that AI demand is structural and any near-term weakness is a sentiment-driven overreaction — HBM supply remains tight relative to medium-term demand forecasts, and SK Hynix in particular has locked in significant forward contracts. The bear case is that the market is beginning to discount a real slowdown: hyperscaler capex guidance has shown early signs of moderation, and lead times for HBM have started to compress, which historically precedes pricing pressure.

For global investors, the Kospi break below 8,000 is a sentiment signal worth tracking — it can spill into related names like Micron in the US. The key catalyst to watch is the next round of earnings from major cloud providers and any updates on HBM order volumes from Samsung and SK Hynix in coming weeks.