SEOUL, May 11 (AJP) - Eight out of 10 South Korean retail investors who cashed out stocks in the first quarter walked away with profits, earning an average of 8.48 million won ($6,100), nearly double the 4.96 million won average loss suffered by the remaining investors, according to data released by Shinhan Securities on Monday.
According to the brokerage’s analysis, Samsung Electronics provided both the joy and misery for retail investors during the first quarter.
Among investors who sold Samsung Electronics shares, profitable investors recorded an average gain of 7.14 million won, while loss-making investors posted an average loss of 1.73 million won.
After Samsung Electronics, the stocks that generated the largest average profits for retail investors were SK hynix with 5.94 million won, Hyundai Motor with 3.41 million won, Hanmi Semiconductor with 2.54 million won and Doosan Enerbility with 2.06 million won.
Investors in their 70s and older posted the largest average gains at 18.73 million won, followed by those in their 60s with 10.11 million won. Investors in their 20s recorded the smallest gains at 1.43 million won.
Male investors posted higher average gains than women, at 7.39 million won compared with 3.86 million won.
The data suggests older investors were more active in taking profits during the first-quarter rally, particularly in large-cap semiconductor, nuclear-energy and defense shares that spearheaded gains in the benchmark market.
South Korea’s benchmark KOSPI gained 20 percent in the first quarter. It has extended gains by another 56 percent as of Monday from the end of March amid a retail-driven frenzy led by chip and artificial intelligence-related shares.
On Monday, Samsung Electronics shares rose 6.52 percent to 286,000 won, while SK hynix surged 13.23 percent to 1.909 million won, extending gains that have fueled this year’s rally. Hyundai Motor also climbed 6.04 percent to 650,000 won, while Doosan Enerbility slipped 1.62 percent to 127,500 won as of 1:53 p.m.
On the tech-heavy KOSDAQ market, retail investors posted the biggest gains from stocks including Woori Technology, EcoPro, Hurim Robot and Alteogen.
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