Should I Start Investing in Foreign Stocks with New Year's Money?

Operating Overseas Stock Desk 24 Hours During Holidays
Abundant Events Including Gift Certificate Giveaways for Transactions

[Asia Economy Reporter Ji-hwan Park] The securities market does not go dark even during the Lunar New Year holiday. This is due to overseas stock markets operating regardless of domestic holidays. Securities firms operate various trading services for investors who want to trade overseas stocks during the holiday period just like on regular weekdays. They have also prepared various events, such as giving gift certificates to new account trading customers in celebration of the Lunar New Year.

According to the securities industry on the 23rd, most securities firms including Samsung Securities and Mirae Asset Daewoo plan to operate 24-hour overseas stock desks during the Lunar New Year holiday. Although the domestic stock market is closed during the holiday, trading is possible in overseas markets such as the US, Europe, and Japan. Not only individual investors but also institutional investors can contact the overseas stock desk to receive help from professional traders and trade overseas stocks in real time. Individual customers without an existing overseas stock account can open a new account non-face-to-face using their mobile phones and start investing in overseas stocks. Consultation services on stock-related information and personal account information are also available.

However, it is necessary to check the holiday schedules of stock markets in other Asian countries that also celebrate the Lunar New Year, such as China and Vietnam. China’s stock market will be closed from the 24th to the 30th, Taiwan from the 21st to the 29th, Hong Kong from the afternoon of the 24th to the 28th, and Vietnam from the 23rd to the 29th.

There are also plenty of events. Samsung Securities is holding the 'Overseas 2020' event until the end of this month, giving customers who purchase overseas stocks worth more than 2 million KRW online a gift certificate worth 10,000 KRW. Mirae Asset Daewoo offers a gift certificate worth 30,000 KRW to customers who newly sign up via smartphone, open stock, CMA, or personal pension accounts, and meet certain conditions after account opening.

There are also products designed to cultivate financial investment habits in children using Lunar New Year money. In the case of children’s funds, if subscribed under the name of a child under 18 years old, up to 20 million KRW in contributions can be gifted tax-free over the next 10 years. Asset management companies such as Mirae Asset Global Investments and Samsung Asset Management provide various additional benefits to children’s fund subscribers, including operating economic education programs and providing management reports tailored to children’s understanding.

A financial investment industry official said, "This Lunar New Year, instead of putting the money children receive as Lunar New Year gifts into bank savings, it might be worth considering gifting promising domestic and overseas stocks," adding, "Investing in blue-chip stocks like Samsung Electronics, which has become more affordable at around 60,000 KRW, can also be an alternative."