Shinsegae Information & Communication Inc. saw its share surge on Thursday morning following reports that Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of U.S. President Donald Trump, will visit Seoul next week at the invitation of Shinsegae Group Chairperson Chung Yong-jin.

Shinsegae I&C shares were trading at 14,140 won ($9.89) as of 9:10 a.m., up 14.87 percent from the previous session. Other Shinsegae Group stocks also posted gains: Shinsegae Inc. rose 3.21 percent, E-mart Inc. climbed 1.50 percent, Shinsegae International Inc. advanced 2.51 percent, and Shinsegae Food Inc. edged up 0.95 percent.

The rally appears to be driven by news of Trump Jr.’s upcoming visit. He reportedly has a close relationship with Chung, who attended Trump’s inauguration ceremony in January 2025 at Trump Jr.’s invitation.

Meanwhile, shares of HK inno.N Corp. hit the upper price limit on the same day after the company announced that its new gastroesophageal reflux treatment, K-cab, had successfully completed Phase 3 clinical trials in the United States.

HK inno.N shares were up 29.88 percent at 48,900 won at 9:15 a.m., reaching the maximum daily gain allowed. The stock hit the ceiling at the open and remained there.

The company said its U.S. partner, Sebela US Inc., conducted two separate Phase 3 trials. K-cab met both primary and secondary endpoints in studies targeting erosive and non-erosive reflux disease. The drug demonstrated superior healing rates at weeks two and eight in trials for erosive esophagitis compared to Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.’s Lansoprazole.

In contrast, LG Innotek Co. shares fell that day despite robust first-quarter 2025 revenue, as concerns mounted over a potential earnings slowdown in the second quarter.

LG Innotek shares were down 5.77 percent at 137,100 won as of 9:28 a.m. The company announced that its first-quarter operating profit dropped 28.9 percent year-on-year to 125.1 billion won while revenue rose 15 percent to a record 4.98 trillion won - the highest ever for a first quarter - after Wednesday’s market close.

Analysts slashed their target prices despite the strong revenue, citing concerns about softening demand and elevated inventories.

SK securities Co. cut its target price from 240,000 won to 190,000 won, citing seasonal weakness and ongoing trade tensions. It noted that the second quarter typically marks a lull for North American smartphone component suppliers and that inventory buildup in the first quarter could become a drag by quarter-end.

SK securities forecasted second-quarter operating profit to fall 66 percent year-on-year to 50.9 billion won and revised its full-year estimate down by 4 percent to 658 billion won.

Kiwoom Securities Co. also lowered its target price from 190,000 won to 170,000 won, pointing to a likely pullback in demand following first-quarter inventory preloading. It also flagged the risks of slowing shipments and intensified price competition in the second half of the year amid limited product innovation.

Shinsegae I&C shares closed at 14,980 won, HK inno.N shares closed at 48,900 won, and LG Innotek shares closed at 139,400 won.

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