Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

Equity Derivatives

Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 / Equity Derivatives

<ul>
<li>
Market Reaction: The announcement of US reciprocal tariffs caused significant declines across Asia-Pacific markets. Although initial losses were partially recovered during the day, most markets closed substantially lower.</li>
<li>
Impact on South Korea: South Korea faces a 25% tariff. This led to a 1.5% drop in the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/korea-stock-exchange-kospi-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26021:1" rel="noopener">Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 Index (KOSPI2 INDEX).</a> </li>
<li>
Volatility Increase: The Kospi 200 VIX index rose to a high of 28.64 before retreating to 26.05, indicating the 99th percentile of implied volatility.</li>
</ul>



Market Reaction: The announcement of US reciprocal tariffs caused significant declines across Asia-Pacific markets. Although initial losses were partially recovered during the day, most markets closed substantially lower.

Impact on South Korea: South Korea faces a 25% tariff. This led to a 1.5% drop in the Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 Index (KOSPI2 INDEX). 

Volatility Increase: The Kospi 200 VIX index rose to a high of 28.64 before retreating to 26.05, indicating the 99th percentile of implied volatility.


KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 Index) Hits 99th Percentile Implied Volatility Amid US Tariff Impact

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Douglas Research Advisory

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)

<ul>
<li>In this insight, we discuss numerous gap trade opportunities involving Korean preferred and common shares in 2Q 2025.</li>
<li>The following five pairs (between common and prefs) have experienced more than 10% difference in their share prices in the past six months. </li>
<li>These five pairs (LG Chem, Amorepacific Corp, Amorepacific Group, CJ Cheiljedang, and Korea Investment Holdings) are more likely to revert to closing their gaps in the coming weeks. </li>
</ul>


In this insight, we discuss numerous gap trade opportunities involving Korean preferred and common shares in 2Q 2025.
The following five pairs (between common and prefs) have experienced more than 10% difference in their share prices in the past six months. 
These five pairs (LG Chem, Amorepacific Corp, Amorepacific Group, CJ Cheiljedang, and Korea Investment Holdings) are more likely to revert to closing their gaps in the coming weeks. 


Gap Trade Opportunities in Korean Prefs Vs Common Share Pairs in 2Q 2025

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 foreign holdings of KRX stocks as of Mar 28th which has an aggregated holding worth USD490.5bn.</li>
<li>We estimate that foreign flows to be inflows of USD1,292mln. We tabulate the league table for top changes by value for 1W/4W/1Y and top stocks held by foreign institutions.</li>
<li>We highlight changes of foreign holdings in Samsung Electronics, Hanwha Aerospace, SK Hynix, Hyundai Motor, Kia.</li>
</ul>


We analyzed the changes in foreign holdings of KRX stocks as of Mar 28th which has an aggregated holding worth USD490.5bn.
We estimate that foreign flows to be inflows of USD1,292mln. We tabulate the league table for top changes by value for 1W/4W/1Y and top stocks held by foreign institutions.
We highlight changes of foreign holdings in Samsung Electronics, Hanwha Aerospace, SK Hynix, Hyundai Motor, Kia.


KRX Foreign Holding Weekly (Mar 28th): Samsung Electronics, Hanwha Aerospace, SK Hynix

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Short selling in Korea resumes in a couple of hours. Expect heightened volatility for a few days before things settle down.</li>
<li>Foreign investors have increased their holdings over the last five weeks and there could be further buying in select stocks on stock price drops.</li>
<li>The <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/korea-stock-exchange-kospi-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26021:1" rel="noopener">KOSPI 200 INDEX</a> has outperformed the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kosdaq-150-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31077:1" rel="noopener">KOSDAQ 150 Index</a>, and the forecast index deletes have underperformed the indices indicating that there will be positioning for the short-sell resumption.</li>
</ul>


Short selling in Korea resumes in a couple of hours. Expect heightened volatility for a few days before things settle down.
Foreign investors have increased their holdings over the last five weeks and there could be further buying in select stocks on stock price drops.
The KOSPI 200 INDEX has outperformed the KOSDAQ 150 Index, and the forecast index deletes have underperformed the indices indicating that there will be positioning for the short-sell resumption.


South Korea

LG Chem Ltd. is a chemical manufacturer.  The Company's products include petrochemicals, plastic resins, and engineering plastics.  LG Chem also produces industrial and electronic materials.

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LG Chem Ltd (051910 KS)

KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 Index) Hits 99th Percentile Implied Volatility Amid US Tariff Impact

US reciprocal tariffs announcement caused significant declines in Asia-Pacific markets, impacting South Korea with the KOSPI 200 implied...

Gaudenz Schneider

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 Foreign Holding Weekly (Mar 28th): Samsung Electronics, Hanwha Aerospace, SK Hynix

We analyzed KRX foreign holding data for the past week and highlighted foreign holding changes in Samsung Electronics, Hanwha Aerospace, SK Hynix,...

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Korea Short Selling: Off to the Races

Data indicates positioning in different types of trades ranging from index pairs to forecast index deletions and stocks with high forward PEs. Some...

Brian Freitas

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 Index) Hits 99th Percentile Implied Volatility Amid US Tariff Impact

​US reciprocal tariffs announcement caused significant declines in Asia-Pacific markets, impacting South Korea with the KOSPI 200 implied...

Gaudenz Schneider

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

Gap Trade Opportunities in Korean Prefs Vs Common Share Pairs in 2Q 2025

In this insight, we discuss numerous gap trade opportunities involving Korean preferred and common shares in 2Q 2025. LG Chem (common vs preferred)...

Douglas Kim

KRX Foreign Holding Weekly (Mar 28th): Samsung Electronics, Hanwha Aerospace, SK Hynix

We analyzed KRX foreign holding data for the past week and highlighted foreign holding changes in Samsung Electronics, Hanwha Aerospace, SK Hynix,...

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Korea Short Selling: Off to the Races

Data indicates positioning in different types of trades ranging from index pairs to forecast index deletions and stocks with high forward PEs. Some...

Brian Freitas

US reciprocal tariffs announcement caused significant declines in Asia-Pacific markets, impacting South Korea with the KOSPI 200 implied...