SEOUL — Shares of Samsung Electronics surged Wednesday, closing up 6.68% as South Korea’s benchmark Kospi index extended its winning streak to a third consecutive session, driven by intensifying investor appetite for the country’s dominant semiconductor manufacturers.

Samsung Electronics closed at 255,000 won, up 16,000 won from the previous session, according to Korea JoongAng Daily. Rival chipmaker SK Hynix also posted a strong gain, rising 5.54% to close at 1.5 million won. The rally in both stocks helped drive the broader Kospi index up 233.51 points, or 3.68%, to close at 6,579.04, following gains of 0.65% and 0.73% in the two preceding sessions.

The Kospi opened Wednesday 1.47% higher and continued adding to those gains as foreign and institutional investors poured money into major chipmakers throughout the session. The rally proved forceful enough that the Korea Exchange activated a buy-side sidecar at 11:57 a.m. local time, a circuit-breaker-style mechanism that temporarily suspends program trading for five minutes when the market moves sharply in one direction. Trading volume for the session was moderate, at 355 million shares worth 26.21 trillion won, or roughly $18.49 billion, even as decliners outnumbered advancers 477 to 378 across the broader market.

Lee Kyung-min, an analyst at Daishin Securities, said the session reflected renewed investor confidence in the durability of demand tied to artificial intelligence infrastructure. “Large order backlogs and new orders reaffirmed that investment in AI infrastructure and semiconductor demand remain solid, stimulating investor sentiment,” Lee said.

The rally followed government data released this week showing South Korea’s semiconductor exports surged 155.4% year-over-year to roughly $9.95 billion in the first 10 days of August, helping drive the country’s overall outbound shipments up 45.3% to $21.3 billion over the same period, a record for the window. That data provided the clearest signal yet that global demand for memory chips, driven by the ongoing artificial intelligence infrastructure buildout, remains robust even as broader technology markets elsewhere have shown signs of volatility.

Wednesday’s gains added to Samsung’s rebound from a rockier stretch earlier in the week. On Monday, foreign investors had aggressively sold both Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix shares, offloading a combined 1.02 trillion won and 410.3 billion won worth of stock, respectively, amid caution tied to reports about the rising competitiveness of Chinese semiconductor firms. That selling pressure reversed sharply once the strong export figures were released, with Samsung shares having tumbled as low as 224,000 won in early trading Tuesday before rebounding on the export data and continuing higher into Wednesday’s session.

Wednesday’s advance also came amid reports that Singapore’s state investment firm Temasek is exploring direct investments in South Korean semiconductor leaders, a development analysts said reflected growing international confidence in the long-term value of the country’s chip sector, even as some valuations remain relatively low compared with the scale of the AI-driven memory boom underway.

Samsung’s rally builds on an extraordinary run for the stock throughout 2026. Shares climbed more than 100% during the first half of the year, driven overwhelmingly by the company’s semiconductor division, which accounted for 99.7% of Samsung’s operating profit in the second quarter, according to the company’s disclosed segment data. Of Samsung’s 89.5 trillion won in second-quarter operating profit, 89.2 trillion won came from semiconductors alone, underscoring how thoroughly the company’s earnings have become dependent on memory chip pricing and demand, even as its mobile, television and appliance businesses have contributed comparatively little to overall profitability.

Some analysts have projected even steeper gains ahead. Recent forecasts have called for Samsung’s third-quarter 2026 operating profit to reach 112 trillion won, an 817% year-over-year improvement, supported by an expected operating margin of 55%. Some projections have also suggested Samsung’s shareholder distributions could eventually climb to between 100 trillion and 200 trillion won annually, a roughly tenfold increase over current payout levels that would imply a dividend yield exceeding 7% at current valuations, though such forecasts remain subject to considerable uncertainty given the historical volatility of memory chip pricing cycles.

Wednesday’s rally in Seoul came even as major U.S. indexes closed lower overnight, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 0.34%, the S&P 500 declining 0.32% to 7,728.2, and the Nasdaq Composite shedding 0.6%. The divergence underscored how strongly the domestic chip export data, rather than broader global market sentiment, drove Wednesday’s session in Seoul, with Korean investors focusing squarely on the country’s own semiconductor sector rather than following Wall Street’s lead.

The Korean won also strengthened against the dollar during Wednesday’s session, adding to the broadly positive tone across South Korean financial markets. With the Kospi now having risen for three consecutive sessions and Samsung and SK Hynix both posting substantial single-day gains, investors are likely to continue watching upcoming export data and any further developments tied to global memory chip demand as key drivers of sentiment heading into the remainder of August.

Whole Foods announced Wednesday that it is recalling certain produce and prepared foods containing fresh jalapeño peppers supplied by Coast Citrus Distributors over potential salmonella contamination.

The Food and Drug Administration said the recalled products were sold in 12 states and have “Best Before” dates ranging from Aug. 7 through Aug. 16.

No illnesses have been reported in connection with the recalled Whole Foods products, according to the FDA.

The recall includes select salsas, guacamole, pico de gallo and prepared foods, Whole Foods said. A full list of affected products is available on the FDA’s website.

18 PREPARED FOODS UNDER ALERT AS JALAPEÑO SALMONELLA OUTBREAK SICKENS 345

Whole Foods is recalling select salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo and prepared foods containing jalapeños over potential salmonella contamination.

The products were sold in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio.

A Whole Foods spokesperson said Wednesday’s recall was issued because the products contain jalapeños that were sourced from Coast Citrus Distributors and are connected to the distributor’s recall. Some affected products were also included in a Taylor Fresh Foods recall announced Sunday.

The Whole Foods action comes amid a broader salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeños that has sickened 345 people and hospitalized 36 across 27 states, according to federal officials.

Prior to the Whole Foods announcement, at least 18 ready-to-eat meat and poultry products had already been identified in a USDA public health alertin Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors.

NEARLY 30,000 POUNDS OF RAW BEEF RECALLED OVER MISSED IMPORT INSPECTION

A multistate salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeños has prompted recalls involving products sold by several major retailers and brands. (iStock / iStock)

On Monday, Taylor Farms announced a recall of prepared foods containing jalapeños sold by retailers including Walmart and Whole Foods in several states over potential salmonella contamination.

The FDA advised consumers who purchased any of the recalled Whole Foods products to discard them or bring a valid receipt to a Whole Foods Market store for a full refund.

According to federal regulators, illnesses linked to the jalapeño outbreak began between June 19 and July 20, 2026.

CULT-FAVORITE PIZZA CHAIN USES SURPRISING METHOD TO RECREATE NYC FLAVOR NATIONWIDE

Whole Foods issued a recall affecting select products sold in 12 states amid a broader salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeños. (Liao Pan/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Officials said several major brands and retailers have been affected by the outbreak, including Taylor Farms, Deli Kitchen, H-E-B’s Higher Harvest and Meal Simple brands, Marketside, Wawa, Albertsons, Randalls, Tom Thumb and Hannaford.

Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA also received affected jalapeños imported from Sinaloa, according to federal officials.

Chipotle switched its jalapeño supplier at affected locations beginning July 20 and is no longer serving the implicated product, while QDOBA stopped using jalapeños at all of its restaurants as of July 28.

CLICK HERE TO GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO

Coast Citrus Distributors has agreed to recall the remaining implicated product and is no longer importing jalapeños from the grower linked to the outbreak.

Food contaminated with salmonella can cause salmonellosis, with symptoms including diarrhea, stomach cramps and fever.

FOX Business’ Bonny Chu and Reuters contributed to this report.

CHICAGO — The Obama Foundation will release a new batch of tickets to the Obama Presidential Center’s museum Wednesday, giving hopeful visitors another shot at admission after the museum’s initial ticket allotment sold out well into next year amid overwhelming demand.

Tickets to the museum, located on the center’s campus in the Woodlawn and Jackson Park area on Chicago’s South Side, are currently sold out through the end of 2026. The Obama Foundation will release a new round of tickets at 10 a.m. Central time Wednesday, covering select visitor dates running through January 3, 2027. The foundation has said it plans to continue releasing additional tickets on the second Wednesday of each month going forward, giving prospective visitors a recurring, predictable window to try to secure a spot.

In an announcement email sent to prospective visitors last month, the Obama Center warned that demand for the new batch of tickets was likely to be intense. “We expect high demand for tickets, and you may experience a wait when purchasing your Museum tickets,” the center said in the message, adding that visitors’ place in the online queue would be preserved even amid a potentially long wait. The foundation has advised ticket buyers to have a few backup dates in mind when purchasing, since their first-choice date may already be sold out by the time they reach the front of the queue.

Museum tickets range in price from $15 to $30. While admission to the museum itself requires a ticket, large portions of the broader Obama Presidential Center campus remain free and open to the public without any ticket required, including the Forum event space, the Home Court athletic facility, and a branch of the Chicago Public Library, all located on the center’s grounds. The museum itself sits within a four-story building on the center’s 19.3-acre campus in historic Jackson Park.

The Obama Presidential Center’s museum officially opened to the public on June 19, 2026, following a star-studded grand opening celebration that drew significant national attention. Former first lady Michelle Obama spoke at the opening, delivering remarks that reportedly moved much of the crowd, including former President Barack Obama himself, to tears. The Obama Foundation has estimated the roughly $850 million campus could draw approximately 1 million visitors annually once fully operational, a figure that has already been reflected in the intensity of demand for museum tickets since the center’s opening.

Valerie Jarrett, chief executive officer of The Obama Foundation, described the center’s mission in a statement issued around the time of its opening. “We built the Obama Presidential Center to be a place where people,” Jarrett said, framing the campus as a space designed to bring together visitors from a wide range of backgrounds, offer inspiration, and send people away motivated to make a difference in their own communities.

Ticket access to the museum has followed a tiered release structure since the center’s opening. Founding Members of The Obama Foundation, who support the organization through ongoing membership contributions, receive exclusive early access to purchase tickets ahead of each public release, receiving a private, non-transferable presale link via email before tickets become available more broadly. Illinois residents also receive a standing benefit unavailable to out-of-state visitors: free museum admission every Tuesday, provided they reserve a Tuesday time slot in advance and can show proof of Illinois residency upon arrival.

According to the Obama Foundation, museum tickets are generally made available for visit dates roughly six months in the future, with additional dates opening up incrementally as each monthly release occurs. The foundation has cautioned that tickets are intended strictly for personal use and may not be resold or transferred through third-party platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, a policy aimed at preventing scalping given the sustained high demand for admission since the museum’s debut.

Beyond the museum itself, the Obama Presidential Center campus continues to host a rotating slate of public programming, much of it free and accessible without a museum ticket. Upcoming events at the center include a screening of the animated film “Encanto,” a conversation among chefs and food industry leaders exploring how food reflects American cultural history, and a comedy event featuring Bill Nye, Keegan-Michael Key and Sophie Shrand scheduled for August 28. The center’s calendar of public programs has continued expanding in the months since its opening, part of a broader effort to establish the campus as an active civic and cultural gathering space beyond its role as a presidential museum.

The Obama Presidential Center differs from traditional presidential libraries in that it does not house official presidential records, which instead remain digitized and accessible through the National Archives and Records Administration. Instead, the center has been designed to function as a museum, public campus and community space centered on Obama’s presidency and broader themes of civic engagement, with the surrounding free amenities intended to draw sustained foot traffic from the local Woodlawn and South Side community regardless of museum ticket availability.

With demand for museum admission continuing to outpace available ticket supply months after opening, prospective visitors hoping to secure a spot for a fall or winter visit are being encouraged to log on promptly when Wednesday’s 10 a.m. release begins, given how quickly previous ticket batches have been claimed since the museum first opened its doors in June.

McDonald’s is moving into energy drinks, teaming with Red Bull as the fast-food giant expands its beverage lineup while working to drive more customers to its U.S. restaurants.

Starting Aug. 17, participating McDonald’s restaurants nationwide will sell the Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer, marking the company’s entry into the energy drink category.

The drink combines Red Bull with blue raspberry syrup and freeze-dried dragonfruit. Customers can substitute Red Bull Zero for a reduced-sugar version or purchase an 8.4-ounce can of Red Bull separately.

The beverage expansion comes as McDonald’s works to improve customer traffic after its U.S. business delivered slower-than-expected sales growth during the second quarter.

MCDONALD’S SAYS US SALES SLOWED AFTER VALUE DEAL PUSH FELL SHORT

McDonald’s is adding Red Bull to its U.S. menu with the new Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer starting Aug. 17. (McDonald’s / Unknown)

Comparable sales in the U.S., McDonald’s largest market, increased 0.8% during the quarter, below the 1.06% growth analysts surveyed by LSEG had expected. U.S. comparable sales grew 2.5% a year earlier.

CEO Chris Kempczinski said execution problems, including inconsistent promotion of value offerings and reduced use of digital deals, contributed to weaker customer traffic.

“We don’t have a strategy problem. We simply didn’t execute at the level we needed to in the second quarter,” Kempczinski said.

McDonald’s CFO Ian Borden said the company planned to use more national digital offers and personalized promotions to “reenergize our high-frequency customers.”

MCDONALD’S BRINGING BACK FRIED APPLE PIE TO CELEBRATE AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY

McDonald’s is expanding its beverage lineup with new crafted sodas and other specialty drinks at participating U.S. restaurants. (McDonald’s )

The Red Bull rollout builds on McDonald’s expansion of its core beverage lineup with crafted sodas and Refreshers.

“We’ve seen growing enthusiasm for our crafted sodas and refreshers as fans look for more variety and options to fit every occasion,” Alyssa Buetikofer, chief marketing and customer experience officer for McDonald’s USA, said. “They loved the Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer when we first tested it in the U.S., so we’re excited to give fans nationwide the energy they’ve been craving with Red Bull. And we’re just getting started.”

McDonald’s is also expanding its crafted soda lineup with a Vanilla Swirl, which combines vanilla flavor and cold foam with a choice of Coca-Cola, Diet Coke or Coke Zero Sugar.

Other offerings will vary by location and include Orange Dream with Fanta and reduced-sugar crafted sodas made with Diet Dr Pepper, Dr Pepper Zero Sugar and Sprite Zero Sugar.

CLICK HERE TO GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO

Both McDonald’s Refreshers and Red Bull Energizers contain caffeine, according to the company.