SK Hynix and Micron Exceed $1 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Chip Demand Surge

South Korean semiconductor manufacturer SK Hynix and US-based memory chip specialist Micron Technology have both seen their market valuations climb above $1 trillion. This financial milestone is directly attributed to the escalating global demand for advanced computer chips essential for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.

Shares in SK Hynix, a primary supplier to AI chip giant Nvidia, experienced a 10% increase on Wednesday. This recent surge extends a sustained rally that has witnessed its share price more than triple since January. Concurrently, Micron's shares rose by nearly 20% on Tuesday, following investment bank UBS tripling its stock price target for the company.

The intensive demand for high-performance memory chips has created a global shortage, directly boosting sales and valuations for manufacturers such as SK Hynix and Micron. This places them among an expanding roster of firms, including Nvidia, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet (Google's parent company), and Meta, that have achieved valuations exceeding $1 trillion.

Earlier in May, Samsung Electronics, another South Korean technology conglomerate and significant semiconductor producer, also joined this exclusive group. Samsung became the second Asian firm, after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), to reach the $1 trillion valuation, further underscoring the profound impact of AI technology on the global chip industry.