KOREA NOW WORLD'S SEVENTH-LARGEST STOCK MARKET

South Korea's stock market has officially overtaken Canada's, cementing its position as the world's seventh-largest by market capitalization. The milestone underscores the country's dominance in semiconductor manufacturing. Major Korean chipmakers like Samsung and SK Hynix have benefited from explosive demand for AI-capable processors, driving their stock valuations higher. South Korea's economy has long relied on technology exports, but the AI boom has accelerated growth in its equity markets. The shift reflects broader global trends as investors pour capital into companies supplying chips for data centers, cloud computing, and AI infrastructure. Canada's market, historically tied to commodity prices and financial services, has held steady but failed to match Korea's momentum. The ranking change demonstrates how sector-specific demand can reshape global financial hierarchies in relatively short timeframes.