Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Event-Driven

Posco International Corporation / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>We discuss the end of the mandatory lock-up periods for 41 stocks in Korea in January 2024, among which 4 are in KOSPI and 37 are in KOSDAQ.</li>
<li>These 41 stocks on average could be subject to further selling pressures in January and could underperform relative to the market.</li>
<li>Among these 41 stocks, top five market cap stocks include Posco International, Doosan Robotics, Rainbow Robotics, Qualitas Semiconductor, and PhilEnergy.</li>
</ul>


We discuss the end of the mandatory lock-up periods for 41 stocks in Korea in January 2024, among which 4 are in KOSPI and 37 are in KOSDAQ.
These 41 stocks on average could be subject to further selling pressures in January and could underperform relative to the market.
Among these 41 stocks, top five market cap stocks include Posco International, Doosan Robotics, Rainbow Robotics, Qualitas Semiconductor, and PhilEnergy.


End of Mandatory Lock-Up Periods for 41 Companies in Korea in January 2024

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

<ul>
<li>Following the short sell ban announced on the weekend, 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> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kosdaq-150-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31077:1" rel="noopener">KOSDAQ 150</a> opened higher on Monday and rallied through the day.</li>
<li>A lot of the intraday gains on Monday have been given up over the next two trading days. Surprisingly, KRX data indicates that not a lot of shorts have covered.</li>
<li>Foreigners have been net cash buyers since Monday (could indicate covering of offshore borrow) while retail were big sellers on Monday.</li>
</ul>


Following the short sell ban announced on the weekend, the KOSPI 200 and KOSDAQ 150 opened higher on Monday and rallied through the day.
A lot of the intraday gains on Monday have been given up over the next two trading days. Surprisingly, KRX data indicates that not a lot of shorts have covered.
Foreigners have been net cash buyers since Monday (could indicate covering of offshore borrow) while retail were big sellers on Monday.


Korea Short Sell Ban: Not a Lot Covered on Monday; Shorts Holding On?

Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Korea banned all short selling in March 2020 and resumed short selling only on <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> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kosdaq-150-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31077:1" rel="noopener">KOSDAQ 150</a> index constituents in May 2021.</li>
<li>News reports indicate that there could be another short sell ban as soon as the coming week. Indications are that the ban could last 6 months.</li>
<li>There are many implications of a total short sell ban including futures backwardation, market manipulation, and no emerging to developed market promotion.</li>
</ul>


Korea banned all short selling in March 2020 and resumed short selling only on KOSPI 200 and KOSDAQ 150 index constituents in May 2021.
News reports indicate that there could be another short sell ban as soon as the coming week. Indications are that the ban could last 6 months.
There are many implications of a total short sell ban including futures backwardation, market manipulation, and no emerging to developed market promotion.


Korea Short Sell Ban: Background, Manipulation, Holdings, Flows, Short Interest, Implications

Douglas Research Advisory

<ul>
<li>On 29 August, the three major POSCO Group companies including POSCO Holdings announced that they plan to provide detailed explanations of their Corporate Value Up plans in 4Q 2024. </li>
<li>In general, the companies that have provided more detailed plans for their Corporate Value Up plans have done better recently. </li>
<li>However, now there are cases such as the three main POSCO Group companies whose share prices are rising just by announcing that they will provide Corporate Value Up plans later.</li>
</ul>


On 29 August, the three major POSCO Group companies including POSCO Holdings announced that they plan to provide detailed explanations of their Corporate Value Up plans in 4Q 2024. 
In general, the companies that have provided more detailed plans for their Corporate Value Up plans have done better recently. 
However, now there are cases such as the three main POSCO Group companies whose share prices are rising just by announcing that they will provide Corporate Value Up plans later.


POSCO Group Corporate Value Pre-Announcements: Trading Angle

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China biotech, Aequitas Research

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China biotech

IPOs and Placements coverage across Asia Pacific

Aequitas Research

We cover all listing across the Asia Pacific along with follow-up placements. As of Dec 2020, our team had covered 539 IPOs with a hit rate of 73.5% and 685 placements with a hit rate of 66.8%.

We combine fundamental bottom-up views with our proprietary quantitative framework to provide a holistic coverage across new listings and placements. Our coverage includes pre-IPO notes before the deal is launched, follow-up analysis once the deal is live and post-listing trading analysis as well.

Quantitative Analysis

<ul>
<li>We analyzed the changes in short interest of KRX Stocks as of Jul 5th which has an aggregated short interest worth USD6.1bn.</li>
<li>We tabulate league table for top short by value and short as multiple of ADT, as well as weekly increases &amp; decreases in short value, short as multiple of ADT.</li>
<li>We highlight short interest changes in Hlb (028300 KS), Posco (005490 KS).</li>
</ul>


We analyzed the changes in short interest of KRX Stocks as of Jul 5th which has an aggregated short interest worth USD6.1bn.
We tabulate league table for top short by value and short as multiple of ADT, as well as weekly increases &amp; decreases in short value, short as multiple of ADT.
We highlight short interest changes in Hlb (028300 KS), Posco (005490 KS).


KRX Short Interest Weekly (Jul 5th): Hlb, Posco

South Korea

Posco International Corporation is a general trading company.  The Company exports and imports steel, cement, crude oil, heavy machinery, automobile parts, and textiles.  Daewoo also manufactures synthetic fabrics for footwear, garments, and car seats, and operates a department store in Masan.

Posco International Corporation (047050 KS)

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

Posco International Corporation (047050 KS)

End of Mandatory Lock-Up Periods for 41 Companies in Korea in January 2024

We discuss the end of the mandatory lock-up periods for 41 stocks in Korea in January 2024, among which 4 are in KOSPI and 37 are in KOSDAQ.

Douglas Kim

Korea Short Sell Ban: Not a Lot Covered on Monday; Shorts Holding On?

Not a lot of shorts were covered on Monday. There could be more covering in the near term as the market drifts lower. KOSPI200 underperformed...

Brian Freitas

Korea Short Sell Ban: Background, Manipulation, Holdings, Flows, Short Interest, Implications

Media reports indicate that there could be a temporary short sell ban in Korea. This could lead to futures backwardation, market manipulation and a...

Brian Freitas

POSCO Group Corporate Value Pre-Announcements: Trading Angle

There could be some interesting trading angles for POSCO Holdings, POSCO Future M, and POSCO International in the next several months, ahead of the...

Douglas Kim

KRX Short Interest Weekly (Jul 5th): Hlb, Posco

We analyzed KRX short interest report for the past week and highlighted short interest changes in Hlb(028300 KS), Posco(005490 KS).

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)