Samsung's Double Narrative: Anthropic's 2nm Inquiry and the Memory Price Surge Collide in an 8% Rebound
Published on 07/05/2026 at 07:23 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
Anthropic, the artificial intelligence lab behind the Claude chatbot, has opened exploratory talks with Samsung Electronics about manufacturing a custom AI chip using the Korean giant's 2-nanometer process. The news, first reported by The Information and swiftly picked up by industry media, handed Samsung's shares an 8.22% lifeline on Friday, lifting them to 309,500 Won — a day after the stock had plunged 9.1% in a brutal Seoul selloff.
The rebound was textbook V-shaped. After the KOSPI index collapsed 7.89% on Thursday, triggering multiple trading halts, it bottomed out at 7,300 points intraday on Friday before closing at 8,088.34, up 5.76%. SK Hynix, Samsung's memory rival, mirrored the pattern with a 10.88% jump following a 14.6% rout the previous session. Market participants pointed to heavy selling in leveraged single-stock ETFs as a technical amplifier of the initial slide — a development that drew public concern from South Korea's financial watchdog.
A nascent tie-up with long-shot status
Anthropic stressed that the discussions remain exploratory and no deal is final. Nvidia GPUs, Google TPUs, and AWS Trainium chips will continue to form the backbone of its computing power, the company said. The chip design is still at an early stage, with Anthropic yet to define the processor's function and performance requirements. Samsung's advanced 2-nanometer foundry technology, coupled with its packaging capabilities, is what drew the AI firm's interest.
The timing is fraught for Samsung's foundry ambitions. The conglomerate had previously developed a custom AI chip for OpenAI, but those talks collapsed in early June 2026 over strategic differences — prompting OpenAI chief Sam Altman to cancel a planned Seoul visit that was meant to deepen the relationship. A foundry win with Anthropic would be a significant prize, positioning Samsung as a credible alternative to TSMC in the race for prestige AI clients. Nvidia, which commands an estimated 74% of the AI chip market, would face a new competitor, and TSMC would see its leading-edge business challenged.
Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Samsung Electronics?
Memory prices drive a parallel story
While the Anthropic narrative captured headlines, a quieter force was also underpinning the recovery. Samsung and SK Hynix are reportedly pressing their substrate suppliers for price cuts, seeking to reverse the 3–4% increases granted in the first quarter, according to the Korea Association for Printed Circuits and Semiconductor Packaging. At the same time, memory chip prices continue to climb, fueled by relentless AI infrastructure investment. Server DRAM, HBM, and LPDDR demand is outstripping supply, and with capacity expansion taking 18 to 24 months, analysts expect a memory deficit to persist at least through the fourth quarter of 2027.
That pricing power at both ends of the supply chain provides a fundamental justification for the rebound — but the real test comes on July 7, when Samsung releases preliminary second-quarter results. Analyst forecasts are robust: Korea Investment & Securities projects revenue of 178.7 trillion Won and operating profit of 86 trillion Won, broadly in line with the market consensus of around 85 trillion Won (roughly $61.6 billion). The house, however, recently cut its own estimate by 10% due to extra personnel costs from May's wage negotiations, even as it raised its price target to 590,000 Won, citing a strengthened Google partnership and expected HBM4 market share gains at Nvidia. A separate survey of analysts yields an average target of 495,800 Won — implying 60.2% upside from the close on July 3.
Technicals and risks in the balance
Not all signals are bullish. For the first time in two and a half months, sidelined investor capital has fallen below 120 trillion Won, raising concerns that retail buying power may be waning. Institutional and foreign investors could also trim positions as the rally pushes them beyond allocation limits. The broader geopolitical overhang from trade tensions remains, as illustrated by Micron Technology's 10% single-day plunge earlier in the week despite a 260% year-to-date gain.
Samsung Electronics at a turning point? This analysis reveals what investors need to know now.
Technically, Samsung's stock sits in a neutral zone. At 309,500 Won, it is 17.36% below its 52-week high of 374,500 Won from June 19, and its relative strength index reads 48.1. The share price is 4.44% above its 50-day moving average but towers over the 200-day average of 175,635 Won — a testament to the massive run that has left annualised 30-day volatility near 97%. Since the start of 2026, the stock has gained 141%, and over twelve months it has surged roughly 391% from the 52-week low of 60,200 Won set in July 2025.
The immediate focus now narrows to a single level: 300,000 Won. Whether Friday's leap holds above that psychological mark will determine if the Anthropic news and memory tailwinds can sustain a genuine turnaround — or if this is merely a technical bounce within a still-unfolding correction. The preliminary earnings release on July 7 will provide the answer.
Ad
Samsung Electronics Stock: New Analysis - 5 July
Fresh Samsung Electronics information released. What's the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends.
Disclaimer regarding our articles: No investment advice, no buy or sell recommendation. Information on prices, companies, and markets is provided without guarantee; changes are possible at any time. Stock market transactions can lead to substantial losses. Our articles are created and reviewed in whole or in part automatically with the support of AI.
