PLUS Korea Defense Industry Index ETF

KDEF

Market cap $119M

Sean Darby, Equity Strategist at Mizuho, says reindustrialization is re-emerging as a key investment theme, driven in part by Middle East tensions that are spurring investment in LNG and other energy infrastructure. He expects South Korean companies to benefit from the buildout and argues that industrials, not just semiconductors, offer a compelling long-term investment opportunity.

Lee Seung-ho watched the nearly 300 million won ($202,515) stock trading fortune he built with ‌a 500% margin loan evaporate in just four weeks in May, but he plans to borrow again and return to the market the moment he has enough capital.

The Financial Services Commission said Thursday that it would suspend new listings of single-stock leveraged ETFs.

South Korea's central bank raised its base rate for the first time in three-and-a-half years, joining global peers in tightening monetary policy to counter inflationary pressures fueled by the U.S.-Iran conflict.

The cumulative impact of several different narratives – competition, sustainability, excessive leverage, international outflows- has sapped the Korean market of its upward mobility since clocking up a record high in June.

South Korean shares fell sharply for a third consecutive session on Wednesday, with heavy losses in semiconductor stocks and growing concerns over AI-related valuations dragging the benchmark index into bear market territory. The sharp decline followed an early rebound in the session.

Elevated inflation in the country is likely to strengthen the case for the central bank to tighten monetary policy at its rate-setting meeting later this month.

Exports were powered by the unabated demand for advanced chips to fuel the global artificial-intelligence boom, resulting in their largest increase in nearly five decades.

The rally driven by the global artificial-intelligence boom has exposed structural vulnerabilities in a stock market unaccustomed to wild swings.

South Korean stocks were hit by a second trading suspension this week as chipmakers plunged, highlighting the market's sensitivity to swings in global artificial-intelligence sentiment. The benchmark Kospi extended losses after the Korea Exchange's 20 minute trading halt, falling as much as 9%.