Samsung Advances in HBM4 Chip Race and Secures Major Tesla Deal Amid Strong Asian Market Openings

Samsung Electronics is making significant strides in the high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chip market, with its co-CEO Jun Young-hyun highlighting client enthusiasm for its upcoming HBM4 product. The company is in advanced discussions with Nvidia for a potential supply deal, which could mark a turning point in its competition with SK Hynix. However, Jun emphasized the need for further improvements to achieve market dominance.

In parallel, Samsung's foundry business is gaining momentum, bolstered by a $16.5 billion agreement with Tesla signed last July. Jun described the foundry division as poised for a "great leap forward," signaling confidence in its growth trajectory. Meanwhile, co-CEO TM Roh warned of challenges ahead, including rising component costs and trade barriers, prompting Samsung to rethink its supply chain strategies.

Asian markets kicked off the new year on a strong note, with South Korea's Kosdaq and KOSPI indices rising 2.17% and 2.27%, respectively. Hong Kong's Hang Seng climbed 2.76%, while India's Nifty 50 and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 posted modest gains. Several exchanges, including Japan's, remained closed for holidays.