사진 확대

Foreign investors who turned their back on the local stock market swept over 1 trillion won of KOSPI market leader Samsung Electronics this month. Attention is focusing on the future supply and demand of foreigners and the direction of the index due to the shift in the posture of foreigners who have been "selling" for eight consecutive months.

According to the securities industry on the 28th, foreign investors net sold 89.3 billion won and 282.7 billion won in the securities and KOSDAQ markets, respectively, this month.

Foreigners have continued to sell Samsung Electronics for eight consecutive months since August last year. This year, foreigners' monthly net sales in the securities market stood at 935.2 billion won in January and 3.72026 trillion won in February, but the sell-off has narrowed this month.

Foreign buying was concentrated in Samsung Electronics this month. It is interpreted that foreign investors' investor sentiment has been boosted by growing expectations for an improvement in the semiconductor industry. Shares of Samsung Electronics rose 10.46 percent to recover to the 60,000 won mark this month.

In terms of top net purchases, Samsung Electronics (1.69 trillion won) and Hanwha Aerospace (40.2 billion won) ranked first and second, respectively. It was followed by Korea Aerospace (264 billion won), Hyundai Motor (25.2 billion won). SK Hynix (232.1 billion won) also ranked fifth, showing a sharp shift in semiconductor stocks.

On the other hand, Hanwha Ocean (1.1683 trillion won) was listed as the top foreign net selling stock during the same period. Doosan Efficiency (189 billion won), Samsung SDI (181.6 billion won), KB Financial Group (136.4 billion won), and KOSDAQ market leader Alteogen (135.2 billion won).

The stock market expects Samsung Electronics' performance to rebound after hitting a low point in the first quarter of this year. According to financial information company FnGuide, Samsung Electronics' first-quarter operating profit consensus (average forecast by securities firms) is estimated to be KRW 5.1918 trillion, down 21.41 percent from the same period last year.

The full resumption of short selling on the 31st is also a positive factor in the supply and demand of foreigners.

Lee Sung-hoon, a researcher at Kiwoom Securities, said, "If the profit forecast of the domestic stock market rebounded through the first quarter earnings season and the foreign net buying trend continues, the resumption of short selling could boost the incentive for foreigners to participate in the domestic stock market and lead to improved supply and demand conditions."

However, U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement of the imposition of "mutual tariffs" on the 2nd of next month remains uncertain in the stock market. Market volatility has grown as the U.S. announced earlier that it would impose 25% tariffs on foreign cars.

Lee Kyung-min, a researcher at Daishin Securities, said, "President Trump has warned of generous measures on mutual tariffs, and in Korea, excessive concerns have been introduced due to misunderstanding of the tariff rates of the World Trade Organization's most favored countries and the absence of the president." "If mutual tariffs reflecting the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) are applied to Korea through communication between the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the Ministry of Industry, market concerns will be eased."