"JungHak Ants' Portfolios Show Xiaomi Is Top Pick for Both 20s and 50s"

Xiaomi Group Tops the List of Most Traded Stocks Among Korean Retail Investors
Distinct Investment Preferences Observed by Age Group, from High-Risk Biotech to Stable IT and EV Sectors

Xiaomi Group has emerged as the most preferred stock among "JungHak Ants"?Korean retail investors?who invest in the Chinese and Hong Kong stock markets. Xiaomi ranked first in trading volume not only among investors in their 20s who seek high returns despite certain risks, but also among investors in their 50s who prioritize stability above all else.

Korea Investment & Securities announced on May 20 that it had analyzed the trading amounts of Chinese stocks by age group among its 'Bankis' online stock trading service clients from April 1 to May 15, confirming these findings.

Across all age groups, the most commonly traded stocks were Xiaomi Group (IT), SMIC (semiconductors), BYD (electric vehicles), and Alibaba Group Holdings (e-commerce and cloud). All of these companies are considered core sectors of the so-called "Chinese M7"?key industries that the Chinese government is strategically nurturing to achieve technological self-sufficiency and secure future growth engines.

Looking at the main investment stocks by age group, investors in their 20s ranked Xiaomi Group first, followed by AKESO, CStone Pharmaceuticals, BYD, and Innovent Biologics. Korea Investment & Securities explained, "Investors in their 20s showed a strong preference for the bio and healthcare sectors, and tended to favor highly volatile stocks driven by themes rather than relatively stable companies."

Among investors in their 30s, the top picks were BYD (Hong Kong), Xiaomi Group, and SMIC. They also actively purchased YesAsia Holdings, Baiji-B, WuXi Biologics, and Tekpo International. It was assessed that this group achieved a balanced diversification by investing in large, proven growth stocks, domestic consumption stocks, and future industry themes.

For those in their 40s, SMIC, WuXi Biologics, and BYD were the main stocks traded. In addition to major large-cap stocks in China, this group showed a strong willingness to explore new industries and diversify risk. Xiaomi Group, which ranked first and second among investors in their 20s and 30s respectively, was ranked fourth among those in their 40s. Hansoh Pharmaceutical, Innovent Biologics, and Tencent followed.

Investors in their 50s also invested most heavily in Xiaomi Group, followed by Alibaba Group Holdings, SMIC, and BYD. This group showed a clear tendency to build a stable portfolio centered on IT, electric vehicles, and eco-friendly energy-related stocks.

Korea Investment & Securities analyzed generational investment tendencies and characteristics as follows: "Investors in their 20s pursued high returns with a focus on technology and trends, and actively invested in small-cap biotech stocks. In contrast, those in their 30s built relatively balanced portfolios centered on large-cap growth stocks. Investors in their 40s adopted investment strategies seeking various sources of income, while those in their 50s exhibited a stable investment orientation with a priority on risk management."

Korea Investment & Securities is also running an event for JungHak Ants until the end of this month. Every day, 815 clients who hold a Bankis brokerage account and purchase at least one share of a Chinese stock on the previous business day will be selected by lottery to receive a coffee coupon. In addition, during the event period, 10 clients who purchase more than 50 million KRW worth of Hong Kong or Chinese stocks will be selected by lottery to receive 2,500 yuan (approximately 500,000 KRW).

The regular trading hours for mainland Chinese stocks (Shanghai A and Shenzhen A) are from 10:30 a.m. to 3:57 p.m. Korea Standard Time, with a lunch break from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. For the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, trading is available from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with a break from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.