[Edaily Reporter Kim Kyung-eun ] SamsungElectronics and SK hynix are both trading lower in premarket trading on the 30th as concerns over the profitability of artificial intelligence (AI) investments have resurfaced on the New York Stock Exchange. Following a sharp drop in the stock price of Google’s parent company, Alphabet, Intel and Amazon also saw their shares plunge in after-hours trading following their earnings announcements, leading to spreading selling pressure on major domestic semiconductor stocks.

According to MP Doctor, as of 8:20 a.m. this morning in pre-market trading, SamsungElectronics(005930)is trading at 222,000 won, down 10,000 won (4.31%) from the previous trading day. SK hynix(000660)is trading at 1,445,000 won, down 81,000 won (5.31%).

Overnight on the New York Stock Exchange, tech stocks fell across the board as concerns over AI investment costs and profitability came to the fore. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index fell 1.38% from the previous trading day, and the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index also dropped 1.42%. Alphabet, Google’s parent company, plummeted 12.64%, causing approximately $500 billion (669 trillion won) in market capitalization to evaporate in a single day.

Earnings reports from U.S. semiconductor giant Intel and Amazon, released after the market closed, also dampened investor sentiment. Despite growth in its data center and AI businesses, Intel’s fourth-quarter earnings outlook fell short of market expectations, causing its stock to plunge more than 20% in after-hours trading. Amazon also traded lower in after-hours trading as concerns over deteriorating cash flow due to AI infrastructure investments came to the fore, despite strong growth in its cloud business.

Han Ji-young, an analyst at KIWOOM Securities, stated in a report released that day, “After opening lower in the wake of the sharp after-hours declines in Amazon and Intel, the market is expected to continue seeing a stock-specific divergence during the trading session based on individual earnings reports.”

Analysts also note that disappointment over SamsungElectronics’ shareholder return policy is weighing on its stock price. SamsungElectronics announced the previous day that it would allocate a significant portion of this year’s remaining shareholder return funds—ranging from 55 trillion to 75 trillion won—toward share buybacks and cancellations, but decided to disclose the specific amount and implementation plan at the end of January next year. Observers attribute the decline to a combination of this disappointment and profit-taking pressure following the sharp rise on the previous trading day.

One analyst noted “It is important to note that SamsungElectronics and SK hynix alleviated concerns about the industry having peaked by mentioning that the memory supply shortage will persist through 2028 and that they plan to expand long-term supply agreements (LTAs),” but added, “While the robustness of AI server demand has been confirmed, concerns about investment profitability and a slowdown in business-to-consumer (B2C) demand have also come to the fore, so we need to be prepared for increased volatility.”