Foreigners Switch 'Fate' in Just One Week... Buy LG Electronics, Sell Samsung Electronics

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Hwajeong] Foreign investors turned to a selling trend in the domestic stock market after just one week.

According to the Korea Exchange on the 25th, foreign investors net sold about 685.9 billion KRW in the domestic stock market during the week from the 19th to the 23rd. Foreign investors sold 958.2 billion KRW in the KOSPI market, while they purchased 272.2 billion KRW in the KOSDAQ market.

The stock most purchased by foreign investors last week was LG Electronics. Foreign investors net bought LG Electronics for 225.4 billion KRW last week. This was followed by Woori Financial Group with a net purchase of 205.1 billion KRW. Other net purchases included POSCO (115.2 billion KRW), Kakao Games (110.4 billion KRW), Korea Financial Group (96.7 billion KRW), Samsung SDI (72.5 billion KRW), Samsung Electronics Preferred Shares (70.0 billion KRW), SK IE Technology (68.1 billion KRW), SK Telecom (60.5 billion KRW), and EcoPro BM (57.0 billion KRW).

The stock most sold by foreign investors last week was Samsung Electronics. Foreign investors net sold Samsung Electronics for 684.5 billion KRW last week. This was followed by SK Hynix with sales of 231.6 billion KRW. Other top net sales included Hyundai Motor (139.7 billion KRW), NAVER (120.2 billion KRW), LG Household & Health Care (96.3 billion KRW), HMM (88.1 billion KRW), KB Financial Group (86.6 billion KRW), Hyundai Mobis (52.6 billion KRW), Kakao (51.0 billion KRW), and NCSoft (45.2 billion KRW).

The stock market is analyzed to find it difficult to have a clear direction for the time being. Kim Younghwan, a researcher at NH Investment & Securities, said, "Since there is controversy over the global economic direction led by the United States, it is difficult for the stock market to have a clear direction, so it is necessary to respond with a stock-by-stock approach," adding, "It is important to select stocks that can form themes in a cyclical manner, focusing on sectors with favorable long-term earnings forecasts until 2022."