KODEX US Seohak Ants ETF, a Signal of Return

Net Inflow of 14.5 Billion Won in Individual Net Purchases in September

The amount of overseas stock holdings by Korean retail investors surpassed approximately 216 trillion won (about 154.7 billion dollars) as of September, demonstrating the continued enthusiasm for investing in the United States.

On September 24, Samsung Asset Management announced that the 'KODEX US Seohak Ants' ETF recorded a net purchase of 14.5 billion won by individual investors in September, once again drawing attention from investors.

This trend is analyzed as a result of the investment sentiment among "smart Seohak Ants" who do not want to miss out on the upward momentum of the US stock market despite market volatility. In particular, KODEX US Seohak Ants gained popularity as it posted a return of 98.6% last year, ranking first in returns among domestically listed ETFs (excluding leveraged products).

The KODEX US Seohak Ants constructs its portfolio by weighting the top 25 companies, based on the amount of holdings deposited with the Korea Securities Depository, among stocks listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq. As a result, it incorporates the stocks actually held by domestic individual investors each month, in proportion to their holding amounts, creating a "customized portfolio for Seohak Ants" that closely reflects the collective intelligence of these market-sensitive investors. This is considered its greatest strength.

Looking at the portfolio composition, Tesla and Nvidia remain the most favored picks among Seohak Ants, accounting for 22.44% and 18.19% of the fund, respectively. They are followed by other big tech companies such as Apple, Microsoft, and Google, which are driving the rise of the US market. Compared to the end of last year, companies like Palantir and IonQ have seen their proportions rise significantly due to stock price increases and continued purchases by Seohak Ant investors. Newly included stocks this year include Coinbase, Circle, Rocket Lab, and Bitmain. The fund quickly incorporates companies chosen by investors, without being limited to a specific sector or theme. The composition of stocks changes according to market conditions.

This unique strategy has directly translated into performance. Although returns dropped earlier this year due to a correction in the US stock market, as the market has recently rebounded, the ETF has recorded returns of 19.01% over the past month, 30.55% over three months, 52.27% over six months, 80.27% over one year, and 20.99% year-to-date. Compared to the low point in April this year, when the US market experienced a significant correction, the ETF has achieved a high return of about 70%, keeping pace with the smart Seohak Ants.

Lee Junjae, a manager at Samsung Asset Management, explained, "As investment information becomes more accessible and direct investments in US stocks reach record highs, it seems that more investors are also experiencing FOMO (fear of missing out)." He added, "In addition to major US indices, including the KODEX US Seohak Ants ETF in your portfolio could lead to even higher returns."

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