2025 Stock Market Wrap-Up: Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix Hit Record Highs, KOSPI Surges 75%, ETF Assets Break $300 Billion

Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix Close the Year at All-Time Highs

South Korea’s top two companies by market cap, **Samsung Electronics** and **SK Hynix**, both hit record highs on the last trading day of 2025, wrapping up a remarkable year for the stock market.[1][3]

Samsung Electronics closed up 0.33% at **$119,900**, while SK Hynix finished with a 1.72% gain at **$651,000**. Compared to the start of the year, Samsung’s stock soared by **124.5%**, and SK Hynix skyrocketed by **279.09%**.[1]

The rally was driven by a recovery in the memory chip industry and positive news about the U.S. Department of Commerce approving exports of manufacturing equipment to Chinese factories, boosting investor confidence.[1]

KOSPI Ends Slightly Lower but Achieves 75% Annual Return

The KOSPI index declined by just **0.15%** on December 30th, closing at **4,214.17**, marking the end of a banner year.[1][3][4]

Earlier in the day, it briefly hit **4,226.36**, aiming for a new all-time high, but profit-taking pulled it back. Still, the index gained an impressive **75.66%** since January, making it one of the best-performing markets globally this year.[1]

This return is only second to the **82.8%** surge during the dot-com bubble in 1999.[1]

Investor Flows and KOSDAQ Performance

On this day, foreign investors and institutions sold a combined total of **KRW 486.7 billion** and **KRW 369.1 billion**, respectively, while individual investors bought **KRW 821.3 billion** net.[3]

• The KOSDAQ index rose by **0.76%** to close at **925.47**.[3]
• In the futures market, foreign buying exceeded **KRW 4.3 trillion**.[5]

South Korea’s stock market will be closed on December 31st and reopen on January 2nd.[1]

ETFs Reach $300 Billion Milestone, Assets Surpass KRW 297 Trillion

According to the Korea Exchange, total ETF assets hit **KRW 297.2 trillion** (about $250 billion), a jump of **71.2%** from last year.[6]

The growth is driven by diversification into themes like semiconductors, AI, and shipbuilding, along with increased inflows from retirement funds. Korean equity ETFs outperformed their international counterparts by roughly **3.8 times**.[6]

The number of listed ETFs has surpassed **1,000**.[6]

Job Market Shows Signs of Cooling, Hiring Expected to Drop 12% Early Next Year

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s “2025 Second Half Industry and Workforce Survey,” companies plan to cut hiring by **12%** from the last quarter of this year through the first quarter of 2026.[7]

With economic uncertainty, many firms are tightening their recruitment efforts, reflecting cautious outlooks for the coming months.[7]

Market Outlook: Will the Semiconductor Rally Continue?

Experts believe that Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix still have **30-50%** room for growth.[5]

Next year’s U.S. employment data and PMI reports are expected to be key indicators shaping market direction.[5]