Equity Derivatives and Volatility Specialist, Clifton Derivatives

John Ley

Equity Derivatives and Volatility Specialist

Clifton Derivatives

Independent derivative and volatility research firm focusing on events/catalysts, earnings, relative value and cross asset volatility strategies.

Equity Derivatives

Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 / Equity Derivatives

<ul>
<li>Price action was volatile this week, marked by two large moves and a notable pickup in vol of vol.</li>
<li>We examine the material steepening of skew observed over the course of the week.</li>
<li>USD/KRW broke its recent range, reinforcing signs that USD assets may be losing their traditional flight to quality appeal.</li>
</ul>


Price action was volatile this week, marked by two large moves and a notable pickup in vol of vol.
We examine the material steepening of skew observed over the course of the week.
USD/KRW broke its recent range, reinforcing signs that USD assets may be losing their traditional flight to quality appeal.


Kospi Index Options Weekly (Apr 07 – 11):  Skew Shifts Steepens and Positioning Signals

<ul>
<li>Volatility percentiles are flashing red, and we explore what recent price action could signal for the week ahead.</li>
<li>Implied vol rose meaningfully, approaching historical extremes, with more pressure likely as the week begins.</li>
<li>Options hedge adjustments are discussed following a strong move in both price and vol.</li>
</ul>


Volatility percentiles are flashing red, and we explore what recent price action could signal for the week ahead.
Implied vol rose meaningfully, approaching historical extremes, with more pressure likely as the week begins.
Options hedge adjustments are discussed following a strong move in both price and vol.


Kospi Index Options Weekly (Mar 31 – Apr 4): Rising Vol, Local and Global Political Undercurrents

Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

<ul>
<li>
Market Reaction: The announcement of US reciprocal tariffs caused significant declines across Asia-Pacific markets. Although initial losses were partially recovered during the day, most markets closed substantially lower.</li>
<li>
Impact on South Korea: South Korea faces a 25% tariff. This led to a 1.5% drop in the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/korea-stock-exchange-kospi-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26021:1" rel="noopener">Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 Index (KOSPI2 INDEX).</a> </li>
<li>
Volatility Increase: The Kospi 200 VIX index rose to a high of 28.64 before retreating to 26.05, indicating the 99th percentile of implied volatility.</li>
</ul>



Market Reaction: The announcement of US reciprocal tariffs caused significant declines across Asia-Pacific markets. Although initial losses were partially recovered during the day, most markets closed substantially lower.

Impact on South Korea: South Korea faces a 25% tariff. This led to a 1.5% drop in the Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 Index (KOSPI2 INDEX). 

Volatility Increase: The Kospi 200 VIX index rose to a high of 28.64 before retreating to 26.05, indicating the 99th percentile of implied volatility.


KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 Index) Hits 99th Percentile Implied Volatility Amid US Tariff Impact

Quantitative Researcher, MRM Research

Nico Rosti

Quantitative Researcher

MRM Research

Quantitative Research

<ul>
<li>
Short selling in all stocks in South Korea will resume from 31 March 2025. The <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/korea-stock-exchange-kospi-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26021:1" rel="noopener">KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 INDEX EQUITY)</a> is approaching the overboughtarea according to our models.</li>
<li>If the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/korea-stock-exchange-kospi-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26021:1" rel="noopener">KOSPI 200</a> can rise for another week, it would be perfectly ripe for a large, high probability SHORT trade.</li>
<li>The probability of WEEKLY reversal in the range between the last Close (355) and the 363 resistance limit is between 50% and 75%, pretty high.</li>
</ul>



Short selling in all stocks in South Korea will resume from 31 March 2025. The KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 INDEX EQUITY) is approaching the overboughtarea according to our models.
If the KOSPI 200 can rise for another week, it would be perfectly ripe for a large, high probability SHORT trade.
The probability of WEEKLY reversal in the range between the last Close (355) and the 363 resistance limit is between 50% and 75%, pretty high.


Short Selling Resumes in Korea Just as the KOSPI 200 Braces for Pullback (Perfect Timing!)

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Event-Driven

Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Since short selling was banned in November 2023, short interest has plunged in Korea as shorts were covered. Markets have not done much over the last 16 months though. </li>
<li>Foreign investor holdings have dropped from 32.05% in July to 28.57%. The top 25 stocks bought by foreign investors outperformed the top 25 stocks sold by 128% in 16 months.</li>
<li>There will be trade opportunities across indices, pref/ords, index migrations and deletions, potential market upgrades and overvalued stocks being sold.</li>
</ul>


Since short selling was banned in November 2023, short interest has plunged in Korea as shorts were covered. Markets have not done much over the last 16 months though. 
Foreign investor holdings have dropped from 32.05% in July to 28.57%. The top 25 stocks bought by foreign investors outperformed the top 25 stocks sold by 128% in 16 months.
There will be trade opportunities across indices, pref/ords, index migrations and deletions, potential market upgrades and overvalued stocks being sold.


Korea: Short Selling Is Back in March; Trade Ideas

South Korea

The KOSPI 200 Index is a capitalization-weighted index of 200 Korean stocks which make up 93% of the total market value of the Korea Stock Exchange. The index was developed with a base value of 100 as of January 3, 1990.

Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 INDEX EQUITY)

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 INDEX EQUITY)

Kospi Index Options Weekly (Apr 07 – 11): Skew Shifts Steepens and Positioning Signals

This week saw volatile price action and a steepening of skew. We discuss the shift that appears to be underway in traditional flight to quality...

John Ley

Kospi Index Options Weekly (Mar 31 – Apr 4): Rising Vol, Local and Global Political Undercurrents

We discuss how trading could unfold on Monday, the adjustment of a hedge recommendation and why recent price action hardens our conviction that...

John Ley

KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 Index) Hits 99th Percentile Implied Volatility Amid US Tariff Impact

US reciprocal tariffs announcement caused significant declines in Asia-Pacific markets, impacting South Korea with the KOSPI 200 implied...

Gaudenz Schneider

Short Selling Resumes in Korea Just as the KOSPI 200 Braces for Pullback (Perfect Timing!)

The week after this insight was published, the KOSPI 200 started to fall (that was one of the possible scenarios analyzed). This Monday, as short...

Nico Rosti

Korea: Short Selling Is Back in March; Trade Ideas

Short selling in Korea commences from Monday. There will be a lot of interest in shorting stocks/sectors depending on how they have performed since...

Brian Freitas

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Kospi Index Options Weekly (Apr 07 – 11): Skew Shifts Steepens and Positioning Signals

​This week saw volatile price action and a steepening of skew. We discuss the shift that appears to be underway in traditional flight to quality...

John Ley

Kospi Index Options Weekly (Mar 31 – Apr 4): Rising Vol, Local and Global Political Undercurrents

We discuss how trading could unfold on Monday, the adjustment of a hedge recommendation and why recent price action hardens our conviction that...

John Ley

KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 Index) Hits 99th Percentile Implied Volatility Amid US Tariff Impact

​US reciprocal tariffs announcement caused significant declines in Asia-Pacific markets, impacting South Korea with the KOSPI 200 implied...

Gaudenz Schneider

Short Selling Resumes in Korea Just as the KOSPI 200 Braces for Pullback (Perfect Timing!)

The week after this insight was published, the KOSPI 200 started to fall (that was one of the possible scenarios analyzed). This Monday, as short...

Nico Rosti

Korea: Short Selling Is Back in March; Trade Ideas

Short selling in Korea commences from Monday. There will be a lot of interest in shorting stocks/sectors depending on how they have performed since...

Brian Freitas

This week saw volatile price action and a steepening of skew. We discuss the shift that appears to be underway in traditional flight to quality...

US reciprocal tariffs announcement caused significant declines in Asia-Pacific markets, impacting South Korea with the KOSPI 200 implied...