KOSPI Falls to 7,200, Individual Investor Deposits Drop 20 Trillion Won in July

According to the Korea Exchange, the KOSPI index fell to 7,200 points in recent days from over 9,000 last month, triggering a pullback in individual investment activity. Individual investor deposits stood at 107.1 trillion won as of July 10, down approximately 20 trillion won in the month, while net buying volume in equities plummeted 80.7% from 54.5 trillion won in June to 10.5 trillion won this month.

Private bankers at major South Korean brokerages reported a sharp decline in new client inflows and growing volatility fatigue among high-net-worth investors, who are now reviewing investment strategies and exploring lower-volatility alternatives such as long-short funds and structured products.