Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Douglas Research Advisory

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>We are introducing a new regular series called<em><strong> "Korea: Short Selling Data Analysis."</strong></em> We will try to provide this insight on a quarterly basis.</li>
<li>Net short balance ratio for top 20 stocks in KOSPI averaged about 1.7% three months ago, much lower than current levels (3%).</li>
<li>The average short interest ratio of these top 20 stocks in KOSPI with the highest short balance ratio was 2.6x as of 10 July 2025. </li>
</ul>


We are introducing a new regular series called "Korea: Short Selling Data Analysis." We will try to provide this insight on a quarterly basis.
Net short balance ratio for top 20 stocks in KOSPI averaged about 1.7% three months ago, much lower than current levels (3%).
The average short interest ratio of these top 20 stocks in KOSPI with the highest short balance ratio was 2.6x as of 10 July 2025. 


Korea: Short Selling Data Analysis: 3Q 2025

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

iShares MSCI ACWI ETF / Technical Analysis

<p>The broad global indexes (MSCI ACWI, ACWI ex-US, and EAFE) have pulled back to test key intermediate-term supports, and we expect to see buyers step in near current levels. Market dynamics remain largely healthy and our outlook remains neutral yet constructive overall. We see this pullback as a buying opportunity, however breakdowns would be problematic and would suggest additional downside or consolidation is likely.</p>

The broad global indexes (MSCI ACWI, ACWI ex-US, and EAFE) have pulled back to test key intermediate-term supports, and we expect to see buyers step in near current levels. Market dynamics remain largely healthy and our outlook remains neutral yet constructive overall. We see this pullback as a buying opportunity, however breakdowns would be problematic and would suggest additional downside or consolidation is likely.

MSCI ACWI, ACWI Ex-US, EAFE Testing Key Supports; Buy Ideas in Financials, Materials, Industrials

<div class="content-highlight"><p><strong>It has been reported in the past few days that <a href="http://www.koreaninvestors.com/?p=12175" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NPS</a> is likely to put a greater emphasis on ESG (environmental, social, &amp; governance) based investing for Korean stocks and bonds starting 2021. </strong>NPS has currently given a mandate to a company to help NPS to apply ESG based investment system. The ESG evaluations are expected to aid NPS to actively exercise shareholder rights and also to carry out negative screening of stocks.</p></div><h3>Implications of NPS Incorporating More ESG Criteria on Domestic Investments (Bonds &amp; Stocks)</h3><ul>
<li>Negative Impact on VICE industries </li>
<li>Positive Impact on Renewable Energy Industries</li>
<li>Negative Impact on Coal &amp; Oil Industries</li>
<li>Greater Representation of Women in Senior Management Team/BOD</li>
</ul>

It has been reported in the past few days that NPS is likely to put a greater emphasis on ESG (environmental, social, &amp; governance) based investing for Korean stocks and bonds starting 2021. NPS has currently given a mandate to a company to help NPS to apply ESG based investment system. The ESG evaluations are expected to aid NPS to actively exercise shareholder rights and also to carry out negative screening of stocks.Implications of NPS Incorporating More ESG Criteria on Domestic Investments (Bonds &amp; Stocks)
Negative Impact on VICE industries 
Positive Impact on Renewable Energy Industries
Negative Impact on Coal &amp; Oil Industries
Greater Representation of Women in Senior Management Team/BOD


NPS - Greater Emphasis of ESG Based Investing for Korean Stocks & Bonds Starting 2021

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

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>The annual rebalance of the Korea Value-Up Index will take place at the close of trading on 11 June. There are 20 adds and 19 deletes for the index.</li>
<li>There will be big capping flows for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/samsung-electronics-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:191:1" rel="noopener">Samsung Electronics (005930 KS)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sk-hynix-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16955:1" rel="noopener">SK Hynix (000660 KS)</a>, leading to one-way turnover of 30% and a round-trip trade of US$1.4bn.</li>
<li>Industrials stocks gain 8 index spots while Information Technology and Consumer Discretionary stocks are net losers with 5 and 3 spots lost respectively.</li>
</ul>


The annual rebalance of the Korea Value-Up Index will take place at the close of trading on 11 June. There are 20 adds and 19 deletes for the index.
There will be big capping flows for Samsung Electronics (005930 KS) and SK Hynix (000660 KS), leading to one-way turnover of 30% and a round-trip trade of US$1.4bn.
Industrials stocks gain 8 index spots while Information Technology and Consumer Discretionary stocks are net losers with 5 and 3 spots lost respectively.


Korea Value-Up Index Rebalance: US$1.4bn Round-Trip Trade Tomorrow

<ul>
<li>Korea Value-Up Index outperformed KOSPI, KOSPI200, and KOSDAQ in the past year, resulting in further interest in the index. </li>
<li>The announcement of the Korea Value-Up Index rebalance for this year to be announced in the last week of May and the rebalance date is expected around mid-June 2026.</li>
<li>In this insight, we provided a list of top 10 potential inclusions and top 10 exclusions in the Korea Value Up index rebalance in June 2026. </li>
</ul>


Korea Value-Up Index outperformed KOSPI, KOSPI200, and KOSDAQ in the past year, resulting in further interest in the index. 
The announcement of the Korea Value-Up Index rebalance for this year to be announced in the last week of May and the rebalance date is expected around mid-June 2026.
In this insight, we provided a list of top 10 potential inclusions and top 10 exclusions in the Korea Value Up index rebalance in June 2026. 


Korea Value-Up Index: Rebalancing in 2026 and Outperformance Vs KOSPI

South Korea

Solus Advanced Materials Co Ltd manufactures and distributes copper products. The Company produces electric vehicles battery copper foils, electronic equipment copper foils, and other related products. Solus Advanced Materials also produces electronic materials and natural based materials.

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Solus Advanced Materials (336370 KS)

Korea: Short Selling Data Analysis: 3Q 2025

We are introducing a new regular series called "Korea: Short Selling Data Analysis." We will try to provide this insight on a quarterly basis.

Douglas Kim

MSCI ACWI, ACWI Ex-US, EAFE Testing Key Supports; Buy Ideas in Financials, Materials, Industrials

The MSCI ACWI (ACWI-US), ACWI ex-US (ACWX-US), and EAFE (EFA-US) are testing important intermediate-term support levels of $99, $54, and $76.50...

Vermilion Research

NPS - Greater Emphasis of ESG Based Investing for Korean Stocks & Bonds Starting 2021

It has been reported in the past few days that NPS is likely to put a greater emphasis on ESG (environmental, social, & governance) based...

Douglas Kim

Korea Value-Up Index Rebalance: US$1.4bn Round-Trip Trade Tomorrow

There are 20 adds and 19 deletes for the index in June, plus large capping changes for Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, leading to one-way...

Brian Freitas

Korea Value-Up Index: Rebalancing in 2026 and Outperformance Vs KOSPI

Korea Value-Up Index outperformed KOSPI, KOSPI200, and KOSDAQ in the past year, resulting in further interest in the index.

Douglas Kim

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