The Korea Exchange announced on March 12 that individual investors’ 10 most favorite shares recorded an average loss of 10.29 percent between Jan. 2 and March 11, and none of the 10 showed a positive growth during the period.
In contrast, institutional and foreign investors recorded a high rate of return. The average amounted to 14.86 percent for the former with just three of the top 10 showing negative growth – Hyundai Glovis (-23.01 percent), Cheil Industries (-5.84 percent), and Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance (-14.83 percent). Samsung Electronics gained 10.82 percent, OCI 55.19 percent, and Celltrion 65.77 percent, followed by Samsung SDI (12.82 percent), Hyundai E&C (21.85 percent), and GS Retail (17.64 percent).
Foreign investors gained 6.0 percent with their 10 most purchased stocks. LG Chem’s stock price rose from 180,000 won (US$159.52) to 234,000 won (US$207.35) during the period, and those of Lotte Chemical and Samsung Electro-Mechanics increased 22.67 percent and 39.45 percent, respectively.