SEOUL — South Korean semiconductor giant SK Hynix Inc. made history on Friday, surging to its daily upper price limit during intraday trading for the very first time. The unprecedented rally sent shockwaves through the local financial markets, underscoring intense investor enthusiasm and driving massive gains across SK Group’s major listed entities.

According to data from the Korea Exchange (KRX), shares of SK Hynix jumped by 29.95% at approximately 2:10 p.m., touching a record high of 1,718,000 won ($1,245). The chipmaker showed strong momentum right out of the gate, opening the trading session with a staggering 28.37% surge before maintaining its upward trajectory throughout the afternoon to hit the price limit cap.

This marks a significant milestone for South Korea's second-largest company by market capitalization. It is the first time SK Hynix has hit the maximum daily surge limit since the Korea Exchange expanded the equity price fluctuation band from ±15% to ±30% on June 15, 2015. Hitting a 30% upper limit—rare for a megacap technology firm—reflects extraordinary market demand and heightened optimism surrounding the memory semiconductor sector.

The explosive surge in SK Hynix triggered a powerful domino effect across related equities and parent company stocks. SK Square, the investment arm that holds a 20% stake as SK Hynix's largest shareholder, also hit its upper price limit during intraday trading, soaring 29.91% to reach 1,038,000 won. Meanwhile, SK Inc., the holding company of SK Group, saw its shares rally over 18% during the afternoon session, reflecting broad investor confidence across the conglomerate's ecosystem.

Market analysts note that reaching the daily limit cap in a large-cap semiconductor stock demonstrates unprecedented liquidity inflow into high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and next-generation AI chip suppliers. As trading continued through the late afternoon, SK Hynix successfully sustained its massive gains, signaling strong buying support from both institutional and foreign investors.

The record-breaking performance is expected to significantly boost the benchmark KOSPI index and solidify the company’s leadership position in the global semiconductor landscape.

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