Shares of U.S.-listed South Korean companies are trading lower after SK Hynix and Samsung fell on the Korea Exchange, creating a volatile session for U.S.-traded shares.

QUICK SPARK: $3.8B SPY Exodus Meets $3.7B QQQ Inflow in One Day

QQQ attracted $3.67 billion in ETF inflows while SPY saw $3.82 billion in outflows, as semiconductor ETFs also drew strong investor demand.

Reported August 17, 2026: 'Korea Denies Report on Discussing Chips as First US Investment' - Bloomberg News

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-18/korea-denies-report-on-discussing-chips-as-first-us-investment

'U.S., Canada Discussing Possible Reduction In Us Autos To 15% After Some Value Content Deductions From 25% Currently; U.S. Officials Offer To Deduct Only U.S.-Specific Value Content From 15% Tariffs On Canadian Vehicles, But Canadian Officials Want All North American Content Deducted; Some North American Auto Industry Officials View Either Option As An Improvement Over Current 25% U.S. Tariff On Canadian Vehicles, As Japan, South Korea And EU Have 15% Autos Tariff Rate, Sources Say'

- Reuters

SK Hynix, Samsung Stocks Rally as Singapore State Fund Adds Stakes on Memory Giants

SK Hynix and Samsung jumped more than 7% after a report that Singapore's Temasek plans direct stakes, lifting Micron, Sandisk and Seagate in US trading.

Evolution Metals & Technologies Corp. Announces Major 750 Megawatt Power Infrastructure Expansion to Scale Magnet Production to Approximately 10,000 Metric Tons Annually

Evolution Metals & Technologies Corp. (EMAT) announced a major expansion of electrical infrastructure at its Pohang, South Korea operations, increasing power capacity from 130 MW to 750 MW to support scaling rare earth magnet production from 1,000 to 10,000 metric tons annually by end 2026. The expansion includes facility expansion from 24,000 to 482,000 square feet, land acquisition, and a conditional $20.7 million Korean government grant.

Shares of U.S.-listed Korean companies are trading higher amid a KOSPI index rebound aided by Samsung Electronics Q2 financial results, a softer dollar and the Fed's dovish hold.