The photo shows the KOSPI index displayed at the Korea Exchange promotion hall in Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, on October 27, when the benchmark index surpassed the 4,000 mark for the first time in history. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Korea Bizwire) — Nearly seven in ten individual investors in South Korea earned profits from stock trading this year, buoyed by gains in large-cap shares despite continued volatility in the broader market, according to data released Thursday.
An analysis by Shinhan Securities of domestic stock transactions from January through November found that 67 percent of individual investors who sold shares recorded gains, with average profits reaching 9.12 million won (about $6,700). The remaining 33 percent incurred losses averaging 6.85 million won.
More than half of profitable investors earned 1 million won or less, while about 13 percent posted gains exceeding 10 million won. Among loss-making investors, a similar pattern emerged, with most losses kept under 1 million won.
Samsung Electronics stood out as the stock that most sharply divided investor outcomes. Of those who sold Samsung shares, 81.4 percent realized an average gain of 2.5 million won, while 18.6 percent suffered losses averaging 1 million won. Most profitable sales occurred at prices between 70,000 and 80,000 won per share, while very few investors sold during brief peaks above 110,000 won.
The bull statue installed in front of the Korea Exchange (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
By market segment, individual investors fared better on the benchmark KOSPI, where more than 71 percent of sellers made money. Performance on the tech-heavy KOSDAQ was more mixed, with gains and losses nearly evenly split.
Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and Doosan Enerbility ranked among the top profit-generating stocks by number of investors on the KOSPI, while Samsung Electronics, Kakao and Naver also appeared prominently among loss-making trades. On the KOSDAQ, EcoPro and robotics-related shares featured on both profit and loss lists, underscoring sharp swings in sentiment toward high-growth sectors.
Shinhan Securities said the results highlight how individual investor performance varies widely depending on market timing and stock selection, adding that it plans to expand data-driven tools to help investors make more informed decisions.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
