South Korean Energy ETFs Surge on Middle East Tension; Semiconductor ETFs Fall 20% on Peak Concerns

According to Financial News, South Korean energy-related ETFs surged from July 20-24 as Middle East tensions and rising crude oil prices boosted demand. PLUS Solar & Energy Storage ETF led gains at 18.17%, followed by oil futures-linked products—TIGER WTI Crude Oil Futures (15.25%) and KODEX WTI Crude Oil Futures (15.18%). Brent crude and WTI oil broke $100 and $90 per barrel respectively, driven by supply concerns from U.S.-Iran military escalation.

Meanwhile, semiconductor ETFs declined sharply. SOL Semiconductor Full Process fell 23.93%, while AI semiconductor and chipmaking equipment-focused ETFs dropped 15-20%, as investors took profits following recent gains amid peak earnings concerns. Morgan Stanley projected AI-driven memory chip cycles are approaching inflection points, with prices peaking by year-end, triggering sector-wide sell-offs.