More investors in South Korea are opting to short stocks as they bet on a fall in local equities amid growing economic uncertainties, data showed Wednesday.
Daily stock short-selling averaged 356.4 billion won ($318.2 million) in the main KOSPI market this month, up 63.9 billion won from last month’s daily average, according to the data compiled by corporate researcher Wisefn.
Stock short-selling is a trading technique in which investors sell stocks they borrowed on the belief that share prices will fall in the near future. When the prices fall, they can buy back the stocks at lower prices, pocket the profit and return the shares to the original owner. Increased short-selling typically indicates that many investors anticipate a fall in share prices.
The benchmark index KOSPI has slid in recent weeks as speculation has grown that the U.S. Federal Reserve is on track to raise interest rates this year and fears over the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) that has been battering tour and leisure stocks since its first outbreak in late May.
Short-selling took the biggest toll on Samsung Heavy Industries Co., Samsung’s shipbuilding unit, accounting for 16.3 percent of its accumulated trading volume this year. Its stock price has fallen 8.1 percent so far this year.
The world’s third-largest shipbuilder by order posted worse-than-expected earnings in the first quarter as it grappled with low oil prices and feeble global demands. (Yonhap)
