KB Securities Sees 2.5x Increase in New Account Openings: "Time to Focus on Overseas Stock Investments"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] KB Securities analyzed that with the recent surge in individual investors interested in stock investment, it is now time to also pay attention to overseas stock investments.

According to KB Securities on the 13th, the number of new account openings in March reached approximately 200,000, about 2.5 times the monthly average of last year. In particular, non-face-to-face account openings surged by 615%, and the proportion of women reached about 38.9%, indicating an increased interest in the stock market among individuals. This trend is also reflected in transaction amounts. In the first quarter of this year, the cumulative net purchase amount of individual investors in the KOSPI was 20.57 trillion KRW, the largest quarterly net purchase volume since the Korea Exchange began compiling statistics in January 1999.

KB Securities recommended that these investors not only focus on leading domestic stocks such as Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor but also consider overseas stocks. They explained that focusing on leading overseas companies related to smartphones, beauty, and healthcare could present excellent investment opportunities.

Among these, KB Securities Research Center recommended Apple and Amazon as key stocks of interest.

First, Apple holds the world’s number one position in the smartphone market with a 55% market share by sales and recorded sales of about 7 trillion KRW in 2019 with its innovative product 'AirPods,' making it the top company in the global wireless earphone market. It is expected to continue growing based on its unique cloud ecosystem.

Amazon, benefiting from the increase in online shopping due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is projected to continue growing, with over 150 million subscribers paying $119 annually for the Amazon Prime service.

Additionally, the Global BK Solutions Department, responsible for overseas stocks in the Wealth Management (WM) division, urged attention to companies such as Lululemon, known as the Chanel of yoga wear, Starbucks which experienced a sharp short-term decline, and Johnson & Johnson, which operates both skincare and bio businesses.

KB Securities also provides various services and events for the convenience of individual investor customers.

Reflecting the stock market environment where direct face-to-face consultations are difficult due to COVID-19, they conduct the 'Prime CLUB Web Seminar' once or twice a month. This service offers live consultations on stock market issues through MTS and YouTube securities broadcasts. The first session was broadcast on April 6, and the number of broadcasts will gradually increase.

Various customer events are also ongoing. For domestic stocks, when transferring from other companies to KB Securities, cash rewards of up to 10.1 million KRW are provided depending on the deposit and trading amounts. For overseas stocks, various benefits are offered for transactions exceeding 1 million KRW. Additionally, through the MTS M-able, the ‘Moamoa FLEX’ event, which involves guessing the daily fluctuation rates of Korean, US, and Chinese stock indices, offers prizes such as LG Styler and LG air purifiers.

Lee Hong-gu, Head of WM Division, stated, "Although uncertainties remain due to the ongoing economic downturn and stock market decline caused by COVID-19, it is true that individual investors’ interest in the stock market has increased, as seen in the recent rise in new accounts. KB Securities will strengthen its role as an investment strategy guide in various areas such as market conditions, investment strategies, sectors, and stocks, and provide practical help to customers by reviewing domestic and overseas companies with improved performance and growth momentum, themes, and issues. In particular, we will enhance various events and financial services exclusively for female investors to become a lifelong investment partner with KB Securities.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.