SK Hynix Adapts to U.S. Tariff Fears Amid Semiconductor Market Shifts

SK Hynix, a leading memory chipmaker, reports favorable market conditions as customers expedite orders ahead of potential U.S. tariffs. Though the future is uncertain, SK Hynix anticipates strong growth in high bandwidth memory chips, partly due to investments in data centers. The industry watches AI demand impact amid competitors like DeepSeek.

In response to new U.S. tariff fears, SK Hynix, the world's second-largest memory chip producer, reported a boost in orders during its annual shareholder meeting. Company executives noted that customers have expedited orders, contributing to favorable market conditions.

The potential U.S. tariffs, hinted at by President Donald Trump to be as high as 25%, may alter semiconductor imports, which has led to preemptive stock transfers to the U.S. The real impact of these tariffs remains uncertain, but could potentially hike prices and affect demand.

Meanwhile, SK Hynix eyes significant growth in its high bandwidth memory chip business, driven by data center investments. Despite concerns over AI hardware spending following Chinese firm DeepSeek's cost-effective AI models, the company reassures investors that demand for AI chips remains strong, with Nvidia signaling stable needs.

(With inputs from agencies.)