Korean Stocks: Retail Investors Sell KRW 2.9 Trillion in Two Days

Retail investors sold KRW 2.856 trillion worth of Korean stocks on the KOSPI market over two days on the 21st-22nd, according to Korea Exchange data. The mass selling occurred as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix rebounded after leading a prolonged market decline, with investors offloading shares for profit-taking or loss reduction. Foreign investors absorbed KRW 2.9294 trillion during the same period, while institutional investors purchased KRW 16.4 billion, as the KOSPI experienced strong intraday rallies that triggered buy-side circuit breakers.

Retail Investors Dump KRW 1.68 Trillion in Samsung and SK Hynix

Retail investors concentrated their selling on semiconductor stocks during the 21st-22nd period. Samsung Electronics net selling reached KRW 1.2417 trillion including preferred shares, while SK Hynix net selling totaled KRW 439.4 billion. The two stocks accounted for KRW 1.68 trillion of the total retail selling volume. During these two days, the KOSPI experienced strong intraday gains with buy-side circuit breakers triggered, and Samsung Electronics touched KRW 270,000 intraday while SK Hynix reached the KRW 2 million level.

Foreign Investors Absorb Semiconductor Stocks

Foreign investors absorbed the majority of shares sold by retail investors. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix ranked as the top two stocks for foreign net buying during the period. Foreign investors purchased KRW 1.1335 trillion worth of Samsung Electronics including preferred shares (common shares KRW 1.0919 trillion, preferred shares KRW 41.6 billion) and KRW 822.5 billion worth of SK Hynix. Foreign buying focused on semiconductor stocks where price burden decreased following recent corrections.

Foreign Ownership Ratios Rise for Both Companies

Foreign ownership ratios for Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix increased as retail investors sold and foreign investors bought. Samsung Electronics foreign ownership ratio recovered to 46.63% from a low of 46.55%. SK Hynix foreign ownership ratio rose to 52.39% from a low of 49.77%.

FAQ

How much did retail investors sell on the Korean stock market over two days?

Retail investors sold KRW 2.856 trillion worth of KOSPI stocks on the 21st-22nd, according to Korea Exchange data. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix accounted for KRW 1.68 trillion of this selling volume.

What did foreign investors buy during the same period?

Foreign investors purchased KRW 2.9294 trillion worth of stocks during the 21st-22nd period. They bought KRW 1.1335 trillion of Samsung Electronics including preferred shares and KRW 822.5 billion of SK Hynix, absorbing most of the shares sold by retail investors.