Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>We discussed in last week's June 19 report how bullish price and RS trends on Israel's TA-125 was our tell that global equities were looking past Israel-Iran tensions.</li>
<li>Now completely in the rear-view mirror.  We also discussed how we were expecting short-term support on ACWI-US at $123-$123.50 (6.5-month base support), and ACWI-US bottomed at $123.20 on Monday.</li>
<li>As a result, we remain near-term bullish since our 4/22/25 Compass, and our intermediate-term outlook remains bullish as well (as of our 5/14/25 Compass).</li>
</ul>


We discussed in last week's June 19 report how bullish price and RS trends on Israel's TA-125 was our tell that global equities were looking past Israel-Iran tensions.
Now completely in the rear-view mirror.  We also discussed how we were expecting short-term support on ACWI-US at $123-$123.50 (6.5-month base support), and ACWI-US bottomed at $123.20 on Monday.
As a result, we remain near-term bullish since our 4/22/25 Compass, and our intermediate-term outlook remains bullish as well (as of our 5/14/25 Compass).


Downgrading Germany and Ireland; Global Technology Still Leading; Crucial Base Supports Holding

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Douglas Research Advisory

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Tencent has been interested in acquiring Nexon for more than six years. However, the timing and price were not right for such a deal to take place in the past.</li>
<li>The higher probability scenario is for Kim's family members to sell when the timing and price is right. This time around, a $15 billion could be the right price. </li>
<li>Late founder Kim's family members own a 44.4% stake in Nexon through NXC Corp and its affiliate NXMB BV. Kim's wife and daughters own a 67.6% stake in NXC Corp. </li>
</ul>


Tencent has been interested in acquiring Nexon for more than six years. However, the timing and price were not right for such a deal to take place in the past.
The higher probability scenario is for Kim's family members to sell when the timing and price is right. This time around, a $15 billion could be the right price. 
Late founder Kim's family members own a 44.4% stake in Nexon through NXC Corp and its affiliate NXMB BV. Kim's wife and daughters own a 67.6% stake in NXC Corp. 


Tencent To Acquire Nexon? Time and Price Lining Up for a Final Deal?

<ul>
<li>On 29 April, Krafton announced that it plans to acquire a 39.37% controlling stake in Neptune Company from Kakao Games for 165 billion won ($114.9 million).</li>
<li>Prior to this deal, Krafton owned a 3.2% stake in Neptune. After this deal is completed, Krafton will own a 42.53% stake (19.86 million shares) of Neptune.</li>
<li>Krafton reported excellent results in 1Q 2025. The company beat its sales, operating profit, and net profit by 10.1%, 18.3%, and 13.8%, respectively in 1Q 2025. </li>
</ul>


On 29 April, Krafton announced that it plans to acquire a 39.37% controlling stake in Neptune Company from Kakao Games for 165 billion won ($114.9 million).
Prior to this deal, Krafton owned a 3.2% stake in Neptune. After this deal is completed, Krafton will own a 42.53% stake (19.86 million shares) of Neptune.
Krafton reported excellent results in 1Q 2025. The company beat its sales, operating profit, and net profit by 10.1%, 18.3%, and 13.8%, respectively in 1Q 2025. 


Krafton: Acquisition of Controlling Stake in Neptune from Kakao Games

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>In this insight, we discuss a pair trade between LG Chem Ltd (051910 KS) (common) and LG Chem (051915 KS) (preferred). </li>
<li>The price ratio (LG Chem common/preferred) is now at 2.16x, which is more than 2 STD (standard deviations). Our trading strategy involves revert to the mean. </li>
<li>One of the key reasons why LG Chem (preferred)'s share price has fared much worse YTD than LG Chem (common) is due to much larger selling by the foreign investors. </li>
</ul>


In this insight, we discuss a pair trade between LG Chem Ltd (051910 KS) (common) and LG Chem (051915 KS) (preferred). 
The price ratio (LG Chem common/preferred) is now at 2.16x, which is more than 2 STD (standard deviations). Our trading strategy involves revert to the mean. 
One of the key reasons why LG Chem (preferred)'s share price has fared much worse YTD than LG Chem (common) is due to much larger selling by the foreign investors. 


A Pair Trade Between LG Chem (Common) And LG Chem (Preferred)

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China biotech, Aequitas Research

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China biotech

IPOs and Placements coverage across Asia Pacific

Aequitas Research

We cover all listing across the Asia Pacific along with follow-up placements. As of Dec 2020, our team had covered 539 IPOs with a hit rate of 73.5% and 685 placements with a hit rate of 66.8%.

We combine fundamental bottom-up views with our proprietary quantitative framework to provide a holistic coverage across new listings and placements. Our coverage includes pre-IPO notes before the deal is launched, follow-up analysis once the deal is live and post-listing trading analysis as well.

Quantitative Analysis

<ul>
<li>We analyzed the changes in short interest of KRX stocks as of Mar 7th which has an aggregated short interest worth USD3.6bn.</li>
<li>We tabulate league table for top short by value and short as multiple of ADT, as well as weekly increases &amp; decreases in short value, short as multiple of ADT.</li>
<li>We highlight short interest changes in Kakao, Hlb, Samsung Electronics.</li>
</ul>


We analyzed the changes in short interest of KRX stocks as of Mar 7th which has an aggregated short interest worth USD3.6bn.
We tabulate league table for top short by value and short as multiple of ADT, as well as weekly increases &amp; decreases in short value, short as multiple of ADT.
We highlight short interest changes in Kakao, Hlb, Samsung Electronics.


KRX Short Interest Weekly (Mar 7th): Kakao, Hlb, Samsung Electronics

South Korea

Netmarble Corporation develops and publishes mobile games. The Company develops and publishes casual games, action, sports games, strategy, simulation games, and social casino games. Netmarble offers services worldwide.

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Netmarble (251270 KS)

Downgrading Germany and Ireland; Global Technology Still Leading; Crucial Base Supports Holding

Downgrading Germany and Ireland; Global Technology Still Leading; Crucial Base Supports Holding on $ACWI ($123-123.50), $EEM ($46)

Vermilion Research

Tencent To Acquire Nexon? Time and Price Lining Up for a Final Deal?

The higher probability scenario is for Kim's family members to sell when the timing and price is right. This time around, a sale of NXC Corp/Nexon...

Douglas Kim

Krafton: Acquisition of Controlling Stake in Neptune from Kakao Games

On 29 April, Krafton announced that it plans to acquire a 39.37% controlling stake in Neptune Company from Kakao Games for 165 billion won ($114.9...

Douglas Kim

A Pair Trade Between LG Chem (Common) And LG Chem (Preferred)

In this insight, we discuss a pair trade between LG Chem (051910 KS) (common) and LG Chem (051915 KS) (preferred). We recommend going long on LG...

Douglas Kim

KRX Short Interest Weekly (Mar 7th): Kakao, Hlb, Samsung Electronics

We analyzed KRX short interest report for the past week and highlighted short interest changes in Kakao, Hlb, Samsung Electronics.

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

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