Core Insights - Asian tech stocks experienced a rally due to stronger-than-expected results from Nvidia, alleviating concerns about the artificial intelligence sector's momentum [1][4] - Nvidia's revenue for its fiscal fourth quarter increased by 73% to $68.13 billion, surpassing analysts' expectations [4] Group 1: Company Performance - Shares of South Korean chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix rose significantly, with SK Hynix increasing over 2% and Samsung up about 5% [1] - Other South Korean tech stocks also saw gains, with LG Innotek surging almost 14% and Seoul Semiconductor soaring 13% [2] - Japanese software firm Trend Micro jumped 5.95%, while Sony Group rose over 3.86% and SoftBank Group added 5% [3] Group 2: Market Trends - The demand for data centers is driving positive sentiment for companies in the Asia supply chain, particularly for SK Hynix and Samsung [2] - The TOPIX Information & Communication index in Japan climbed 2.6%, building on a previous day's gain of 0.58% [2] - Investors are favoring AI-linked companies, indicating potential upside for Japanese firms involved in gallium nitride and silicon carbide, such as Fuji Electric, which saw a 1.7% increase [3] Group 3: Financial Performance - Nvidia's data center unit now accounts for over 91% of its sales, highlighting its dominance in the AI chip market [4] - Dan Niles from Niles Investment Management noted that the current market conditions favor semiconductor infrastructure companies over software [4] Group 4: Mixed Performance - Japanese chip firms Advantest and Renesas experienced declines, with shares down 2.35% and 1.75% respectively [5]

South Korea's central bank raised its key interest rate by a quarter-percentage point as expected on Thursday, in a bid to contain inflation and prevent capital outflows as the U.S. Federal Reserve gears up for more hikes.Japan's Nikkei 225 hit another record Thursday fueled by "Takaichi trade," while the broader Asia-Pacific markets climbed after tech stocks powered a Wall Street rally overnight.The Nikkei 225 rose 1.1%, to an all-time high of 59,199.31, extending its winning streak of record highs to a th ...

Core Viewpoint - Samsung Electronics has launched its Galaxy S26 smartphones with increased prices in key markets, responding to rising memory chip costs that are impacting profit margins [1] Group 1: Product Launch and Pricing - The base Galaxy S26 is priced at $899 in the United States, reflecting a 4.7% increase from the previous model, while the S26 Plus is priced at $1,099, up 10% [1] - In South Korea, the base model price has been raised by 8.6% [1] - The S26 Ultra's price remains unchanged [1] Group 2: Market Context and Challenges - Samsung's smartphone leadership was lost to Apple last year, attributed to strong iPhone demand in China and India [1] - The company has warned of a worsening chip shortage driven by the AI boom, which is increasing memory demand and affecting its smartphone and display units [1] - A global push by companies like Meta, Google, and Microsoft for AI infrastructure is absorbing much of the memory supply, leading to higher prices as chipmakers focus on higher-margin data center components [1] Group 3: Technological Features and Innovations - The Galaxy S26 models will feature in-house Exynos processors, a shift from Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips used in the S25, which may enhance Samsung's chip design business and mobile margins [1] - The S26 Ultra includes what Samsung claims is the industry's first built-in mobile privacy display, which limits side viewing angles [1] Group 4: Market Predictions - Market tracker TrendForce anticipates conventional DRAM contract prices to surge by 90% to 95% in the January to March period of this year compared to the last quarter of 2025 [1] - Apple has indicated expectations of a sharp increase in memory chip prices but has not confirmed whether it will raise its product prices in response [1]

Group 1 - Samsung Electronics launched its latest flagship smartphones, with two models priced $100 higher than their predecessors due to a global memory chip shortage [1][2] - The new models feature enhanced AI capabilities and a privacy display, addressing the ongoing challenges in the memory chip supply chain [1] - The average selling price of smartphones is projected to increase by 6.9% by 2026, influenced by the memory chip shortage [2] Group 2 - The Galaxy S26 is priced at $899, the Galaxy S26+ at $1,099, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra at $1,299 [3] - The S26 and S26+ have seen a $100 price increase compared to the S25 series, while the S26 Ultra's price remains unchanged [2] - The global memory chip shortage is expected to continue into 2027, primarily due to the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure affecting supply for smartphones and other consumer electronics [2]

U.S. equity markets opened in positive territory on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, as investors balanced the policy signals from President Trump’s State of the Union address with the anticipation of a high-stakes earnings report from the world’s most valuable company. Market sentiment was bolstered by a return of risk appetite in the technology sector and a historic rally in Asian markets overnight, setting a constructive tone for the domestic session.Major Market Indexes Opening PerformanceAs the opening be ...

Key Takeaways AI-driven chip demand is powering South Korea stocks and lifting ETF performance sharply this year.Semiconductor giants Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix remain key drivers of Korea's market rally.Positive alpha signals strong outperformance potential for South Korea ETFs amid the global chip crunch.Asian stocks have been great shape this year, with iShares Asia 50 ETF (AIA) gaining 15.2% year to date compared with a 0.6% uptick noticed in State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) . Over the pa ...

Core Viewpoint - The iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY) has reached a 52-week high and has increased by 200% from its 52-week low of $48.49 per share, indicating strong momentum in the fund [1]. Group 1: ETF Overview - The underlying MSCI Korea 25/50 Index includes stocks primarily traded on the Stock Market Division of the Korea Exchange, with the fund charging 59 basis points in annual fees [2]. Group 2: Drivers of Growth - South Korea ETFs are benefiting from the global AI boom, particularly due to strong demand for semiconductors and rising export momentum, with significant contributions from Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix [3][5]. - The ETF reflects strong investor confidence in Korea's AI-driven market outlook, supported by positive alpha and sustained earnings growth [3]. Group 3: Future Outlook - EWY is expected to maintain its strong performance in the near term, indicated by a positive weighted alpha of 189.19, suggesting potential for further gains [4].

February 24, 2026 06:27 PM GMT Global Technology AI boosts NAND demand, but Asian module maker margins may soon compress We see challenges for module makers with constrained supply, margin normalization, and weakening consumer SSD demand amid higher NAND prices. Phison and Longsys to EW. Memory supercycle – unequal beneficiaries: AI demand and tight supply have sharply shifted bargaining power across memory. Consensus EPS for the memory supply chain is up 279% YoY, versus 37% for our global tech coverage. S ...

Citi Research Global Technology, Communications, Real Estate, Energy, and Industrials February 23, 2026 Data Center GAINs (Gen AI Names) Multi-Asset Strong Absorption Supports Solid 2026 and LT Data Center Demand | Equities | | | | | ABS | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Michael Rollins, CFAAC +1 212 816-3116 | Heath TerryAC +1 212 723-4624 | Caitlyn Walsh caitlyn.walsh@citi.com | | | | | michael.rollins@citi.com | heath.terry@citi.com | | | | | | Siraj Ahmed AC | AC Scott Gruber | Andrew KaplowitzA ...

Key TakeawaysBNY Mellon ETF Investment Adviser, LLC has officially changed the dividend distribution frequency for the BNY Mellon Emerging Markets Equity ETF (BKEM) from quarterly to semi-annually.The Board of Trustees approved the shift effective February 24, 2026, though the fund retains the right to pay dividends more frequently to comply with tax codes or improve index tracking.Net capital gains for the fund are unaffected by this change and will continue to be distributed to shareholders at least annua ...