Japanese and South Korean markets were mixed on 21 August. The KOSPI closed up 0.88% and Samsung Electronics gained about 3.9%, while SoftBank Group fell.
Japanese and South Korean equity markets diverged toward the close, with South Korea's KOSPI ending up 0.88%. The semiconductor sector was the market's focus and helped support gains in South Korean stocks. In Japan, the Nikkei Stock Average edged lower, presenting a contrast with the overall move.
Among individual stocks, Samsung Electronics gained about 3.87% at the close, supported by expectations of a new announcement on shareholder returns. SK hynix, meanwhile, rose about 2.31% at the close. In Japan, Kioxia advanced, while SoftBank Group declined.
In semiconductor-related news, reports said SK hynix is considering building a memory semiconductor plant in Miyagi Prefecture in Japan's Tohoku region, raising expectations for overseas expansion. This strengthened expectations of an expanded overseas manufacturing network.
Samsung Electronics is expected to announce its shareholder-return plan on Friday, with speculation that the scale could be substantial. The market is also watching this development.