June 2026 marked a peak in market volatility, with investors experiencing significant turmoil amid a "panic market" characterized by sharp rises and falls. This volatility began to ease in August, impacting the choices of 2030 investors selecting their first stocks. While preferences for major domestic stocks like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix remained strong in both June and August, investment patterns in the U.S. market shifted notably.
June's Top Investment Choices: U.S. Tech Stocks and High-Risk ETFs
According to an analysis by Aju Economy of first trades made by new clients in their 20s and 30s at five major domestic brokerages (Mirae, Samsung, Meritz, Hana, and Daishin), there was a significant change in the selection of initial investment stocks. While Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix maintained high popularity, the trend in the U.S. market shifted from individual stocks to representative index ETFs.
Specifically, the first stocks chosen by new investors in June were Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, which appeared in the top trades across all five brokerages. Other individual stocks like Naver, Hyundai Motor, and LG Electronics also made the list. Domestic ETFs investing in U.S. indices were also popular among new investors, with the TIGER U.S. S&P 500 ETF appearing in four of the five brokerages' top trades, and the KODEX U.S. S&P 500 ETF in three. The KODEX U.S. Nasdaq 100 ETF also ranked in the top trades of two brokerages.
In June, individual growth stocks had a significant presence in overseas investments. SpaceX and NVIDIA were the most frequently chosen stocks among 2030 investors across multiple brokerages, consistently ranking first and second. Other notable mentions included Alphabet, Tesla, and Micron.
Following U.S. tech stocks, U.S.-listed ETFs also emerged as initial investment choices for 2030 investors. The Invesco Nasdaq 100 ETF (QQQM), Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO), and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) were among the top selections across several brokerages. Some leveraged ETFs, such as ProShares UltraPro QQQ (TQQQ), Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF (SOXL), and ProShares Ultra QQQ (QLD), also ranked highly.
August Sees Preference for U.S. Index ETFs with Less Volatility
However, by August, the choices of new 2030 investors had changed. The popularity of major domestic stocks remained strong, with Samsung Electronics appearing in the top trades of all five brokerages. SK Hynix maintained a top position in four of the five brokerages. Yet, one brokerage noted that individual stocks like Neosapience, Kumho Tire, and Daehan Communication also ranked highly, indicating some variation among brokerages.
The rise of U.S. index ETFs was also confirmed by some brokerages. One brokerage reported that the TIGER U.S. S&P 500 ETF climbed from fifth place in June to third in August, while the KODEX U.S. S&P 500 ETF rose from seventh to fourth. In another brokerage, the KODEX U.S. S&P 500 ETF jumped from fourth to first, and the TIGER U.S. S&P 500 ETF moved from third to second. Additionally, among clients in their 30s at another brokerage, the TIGER U.S. S&P 500 ETF rose from third to second, and the KODEX U.S. S&P 500 ETF, which was not in the top five in June, entered the fourth position in August.
There was a notable shift in overseas investment choices. In August, the primary overseas stocks selected by new 2030 investors were representative index and dividend ETFs, which ranked first compared to June. A client in their 20s at one brokerage who had chosen SpaceX and NVIDIA as their top picks in June shifted to VOO and QQQM in August. Similarly, clients in their 30s who had previously favored SpaceX and NVIDIA also opted for SCHD and VOO in August, with QQQ and QQQM ranking third and fourth, respectively.
In other brokerages, NVIDIA, which ranked second in overseas trades in June, fell to tenth in August, while QQQM rose from fifth to second. VOO and SCHD consistently ranked third and fourth in both months. Although individual growth stocks were not entirely absent, the trend showed a preference for diversified investments in representative indices or dividend stocks through ETFs. Nonetheless, in August, one brokerage reported that TQQQ ranked first in overseas trades, with SOXL and QLD following in second and third place.
A brokerage official noted, "While 20-somethings initially chose individual stocks in June, it appears they shifted towards diversified investments in August. Given that this was their first investment, they likely felt that spreading their investments across the entire U.S. market would reduce volatility risks."
Changes Driven by Market Turbulence
Ultimately, 2030 investors continue to favor major domestic stocks like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, while showing a marked shift in U.S. investments from individual tech stocks and high-risk ETFs to representative index ETFs. This change is largely attributed to the impact of market volatility. In June, investors engaged in high-risk stock investments, but by August, a clear preference for stability emerged.
In fact, the stock market in June experienced unprecedented fluctuations in individual stocks. Up until early June, the volatility control mechanism (VI) was triggered 58,786 times in the domestic market, averaging over 11,000 times per month, more than double the average of 5,433 times last year. Following this, volatility somewhat stabilized. The average daily VI triggers, which reached 1,193.6 from May 27 to July 30, decreased by 39% to 731.6 from July 31 to August 26.
Choi Hyun-jae, head of the research center at Yuanta Securities, stated, "If 2030 investors opened their accounts for the first time in August, they might have felt that it would be difficult to grow their assets without investing in stocks, leading them to enter the market later. They likely approached investing not as selecting specific stocks but as investing in the U.S. market as a whole, primarily choosing ETFs." He added that the continued presence of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix in the top investment choices reflects the recent upward revisions in earnings estimates for the semiconductor sector, particularly for these two companies, suggesting that new investors are more likely to trade large-cap stocks, especially leading stocks.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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