SK Hynix shares dropped 3.03% to close at 1,216,000 won on Friday, November 13, as the South Korean Kospi reversed a sharp morning surge to finish below the 5,300 threshold.
The benchmark index finished at 5,290.53, sliding 52.20 points or 0.98% after hitting an intraday peak of 5,504.44. Semiconductor equities bore the brunt of the reversal.
SK Hynix, which climbed over 4% in early trading, ended 38,000 won below Thursday’s close at 1,254,000 won. Samsung Electronics also surrendered its morning gains, closing down 0.96% at 206,000 won, according to FinanceFeeds coverage.
South Korean market reports connected the drop to uncertainty following Jensen Huang stepping down as Nvidia CEO and concerns that the United States might tighten semiconductor export curbs toward China. These explanations reflect reported market sentiment rather than an independently established cause for Friday’s selloff.
The Kospi opened at 5,452.41, up 2.05% from Thursday’s close of 5,342.73. Heavy buying in semiconductor heavyweights initially pushed the index another 52 points higher to 5,504.44.
That morning rally dissolved as the session progressed. The benchmark index slipped into negative territory around 12:35 local time, ultimately closing 213.91 points beneath its intraday peak.
Foreign investors shifted to net selling as the afternoon session unfolded, reversing their initial support. The Kosdaq dropped most of its gains but managed a 0.45% increase to close at 699.66.
KB Financial Group rose 4.74% and Hyundai Motor gained 1.13% on the Kospi. Friday’s losses concentrated heavily in select heavy industries rather than sweeping the entire market.
This followed a 0.61% drop for the Kospi on Thursday, when Samsung and SK Hynix moved in opposite directions. FinanceFeeds reported on November 12 that Samsung had gained 0.97% while SK Hynix fell 1.80%.
For SK Hynix, the impact extends beyond Nvidia’s share price. The South Korean memory manufacturer supplies high-bandwidth memory (HBM) paired with advanced artificial intelligence processors.
South Korean financial press associated Friday’s selling with fears that the Nvidia leadership change could accelerate stricter U.S. semiconductor export controls targeting China. Expectations of harsher curbs do not constitute a new regulatory decision.
Friday’s market movement does not establish that Nvidia reduced memory purchases, that SK Hynix lost orders, or that new U.S. export controls took effect.
Domestic reforms may support valuations over time, while global tech sentiment and U.S. trade policy exert immediate pressure.
SK Hynix fell 3.03%, outpacing the broader Kospi’s 0.98% loss due to heightened sensitivity around Nvidia and the AI hardware supply chain.
The immediate question for SK Hynix is whether Friday’s drop reflects Nvidia leadership uncertainty or a wider reassessment of AI infrastructure spending.
