Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix Rise on Anthropic's $518B AI Plan

The early gains in Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix on September 30, 2026, reflected renewed pricing of long-term AI investment expectations rather than a simple broad rebound in semiconductor stocks. As of 9:10 a.m., the Yonhap News securities desk reported that Samsung Electronics was trading 1.01% higher at 275,250 won, while SK Hynix was up 2.44% at 1,808,000 won. Investors need to distinguish between the scale of the long-term spending plan and the pace of its actual execution.

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix Gains Show a Difference in Momentum

Samsung Electronics opened 0.73% higher at 274,500 won and climbed as high as 276,000 won, up 1.28%, before its gain narrowed to 1.01% at 9:10 a.m. SK Hynix also rose as high as 1,811,000 won, up 2.61%, before trading 2.44% higher at 1,808,000 won at the same time. Both stocks moved higher, but SK Hynix posted the stronger gain.

AI computing and infrastructure refer to the processing resources and supporting facilities required to operate artificial intelligence services. Anthropic's initial public offering prospectus included a long-term plan to spend at least $518 billion, or approximately 700 trillion won, on these areas over the next decade. For investors, this figure does not represent confirmed near-term revenue; it indicates the scale of expectations that demand for AI computing will remain strong over an extended period.

Anthropic's $518 Billion: The Gap Between Plans and Earnings

The route through which this news affects semiconductor market sentiment is clear. If planned AI computing expenditures translate into actual spending, expectations for semiconductor demand from computing infrastructure could remain intact, with those expectations reflected in the prices of KOSPI electrical and electronics stocks such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Overnight in New York, Micron gained 1.1%, Meta rose 3.2%, and SK Hynix's American depositary receipt (ADR) closed 2.62% higher.

However, the prospectus describes a minimum spending plan covering the next 10 years. Anthropic did not provide a specific listing date or a detailed timetable for executing its AI computing and infrastructure expenditures. The headline amount alone also provides no basis for calculating the orders or revenue that Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix might receive. This is where the narrative and earnings may diverge.

If the long-term plan results in actual expenditures, expectations for semiconductor demand will become more firmly grounded. Conversely, if the pace of execution slows, expectations already priced into the market could decline. The confirmed facts at this stage are the spending plan and the early share-price response; the earnings impact on each company still requires separate verification.

Who Supported KOSPI Electrical and Electronics Order Flow?

In the main KOSPI market, foreign investors were net buyers of 58.9 billion won and institutional investors bought a net 9.1 billion won, while retail investors sold a net 98.9 billion won. In the KOSPI electrical and electronics sector, which includes Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, foreign investors posted net purchases of 37.2 billion won and institutional investors bought a net 7.8 billion won, while retail investors were net sellers of 76.1 billion won. Other corporations also bought a net 31.2 billion won in the same industry sector.

An easily overlooked point is that rising prices and buyer participation moved together. Continued net buying by foreign investors and institutional investors would help support the early gains. If that trend reverses, changes in the day's supply-demand (order flow) could affect share prices before the long-term AI investment plan does.

• Samsung Electronics: Its gain widened after the market opened before easing somewhat by 9:10 a.m. Investors should assess whether the advance can be sustained rather than focus solely on the intraday high.
• SK Hynix: Its early gain in South Korea exceeded that of Samsung Electronics, while its related American depositary receipt also closed higher. The continuity between its domestic and overseas price movements bears watching.
• KOSPI Electrical and Electronics: Foreign investors, institutional investors, and other corporations were net buyers, while retail investors were net sellers. Stock-specific expectations and industry sector supply-demand (order flow) moved in the same direction during this period.

Next Checks: Closing Prices and Spending Execution

The bullish scenario is one in which Anthropic's long-term AI computing and infrastructure spending plan translates into actual expenditures, while net buying by foreign investors and institutional investors continues in the KOSPI electrical and electronics sector. In that case, the early market reaction could develop beyond a one-off shift in sentiment into a revaluation of demand expectations.

The risk is the absence of a timetable. Without a specific listing date or detailed execution schedule, the total planned amount alone cannot establish an earnings trajectory for semiconductor companies. Closing prices and final price change rates have also yet to be confirmed. Investors should monitor, in order, the closing prices of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, whether supply-demand (order flow) in KOSPI electrical and electronics holds through the session, and whether Anthropic subsequently provides more details on the scope of its spending execution.

This article was automatically summarized and analyzed from the original news report. View the original article (Yonhap News securities desk)