KOSPI Reverses to Intraday Rise Near '3020' Level... "Attention Needed on Bank and Insurance Stocks"

On the 21st, the KOSPI opened at 3,012.28, down 0.85 points (0.03%) from the previous trading day, then turned to a slight upward trend after early gains. The won-dollar exchange rate opened at 1,175.5 won, up 1.3 won from the previous trading day. The photo shows the Hana Bank dealing room in Jung-gu, Seoul on the day. Photo by Kim Hyunmin kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jihwan] On the morning of the 21st, the KOSPI continued a slight upward trend, approaching the '3020 level' due to net buying by individual investors. Market experts advised investing in sectors with visible positive factors rather than the index itself, given the recent high volatility in the domestic stock market.

As of 10:38 AM, the KOSPI stood at 3,019.93, up 0.23% (6.80 points) from the previous trading day. The index opened at 3,012.28, down 0.03% (0.85 points) from the previous day, and has been fluctuating between declines and rises.

By investor type, individuals were the sole net sellers with 89.4 billion KRW. In contrast, foreigners and institutions were net buyers of 51.0 billion KRW and 39.5 billion KRW, respectively.

Among the top 10 market capitalization stocks, performance was mixed. Samsung Electronics rose 0.28% to 70,500 KRW compared to the previous day. Other gainers included SK Hynix (0.20%), Kakao (0.39%), NAVER (0.37%), and Kia (0.72%). Meanwhile, battery-related stocks such as LG Chem (-3.21%) and Samsung SDI (-1.38%) showed declines.

The KOSDAQ closed at 999.35, down 0.23% (2.27 points) from the previous day. The index opened at 1,003.48, up 0.19% (1.86 points), but fell below the 1,000 mark during the session.

On the KOSDAQ, individuals were net buyers alone with 249.5 billion KRW, while foreigners and institutions were net sellers of 170.3 billion KRW and 60.5 billion KRW, respectively.

Among the top 10 market cap stocks, battery-related stocks such as EcoPro BM (-7.29%) and L&F (-6.63%) experienced significant declines. Meanwhile, Celltrion Healthcare (0.11%), Pearl Abyss (3.55%), and Wemade (0.46%) rose.

Although the domestic stock market has recently moved out of an extreme risk-averse phase, analysis suggests that investors remain cautious, leading to intensified thematic concentration.

Choi Yujun, a researcher at Shinhan Financial Investment, said, "With the index's upside limited, the thematic concentration reflects a defensive stance. Investors seem to prefer themes with visible positive factors over the uncertain index itself."

Choi advised, "Banking and insurance stocks tend to follow interest rates. Given the recent rate hikes, these sectors can be approached from a hedging perspective, and dividend merits can also be expected." He also emphasized that, as the domestic COVID-19 spread passes its peak and the government supports the November 'With Corona' policy shift, attention should be paid to reopening concept stocks including airlines, travel, and leisure.

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