Korea / Special Sits, Pairs, Index Rebalancing, Clepsydra Capital

Sanghyun Park

I investigate special situations, pairs, and index rebalancing trades in Korea.

Korea / Special Sits, Pairs, Index Rebalancing

Earnings Surprise KOSPI Stocks Potentially Hedging Against Inflation for Basket & Pairs Trades

Korean Financials Pair Trading: 4 Pairs Deserve Attention at This Point

Korea Sector Pair Trade: Financials, Retail, & Industrials

Korea Short Covering Stocks Potentially Nearing Reversion

Korea Short 350 Quant Study: Full List with Loan to Float & Loan to ADTV Ratios

Battle Lines Drawn As BABA Builds Out First/Last-Mile Capacity; But Who Will Fund 75+ Bn CNY CapEx?

Clepsydra Capital

Investigate special situations, pairs, and index rebalancing trades in Korea.

Event-Driven

I grouped Korea's closely correlated sector pairs within the same GICS sub-category. I applied the additional filtering: 1. a market cap of ₩1T or more and 2. stocks eligible to short-selling (KOSPI 200 and KOSDAQ 150). This grouping returns 141 sector pairs worthy of close monitoring for a long/short trade.<div class="content-highlight">You can find all the 141 sector pairs with the 180-day correlation coefficients and the sigma on a 20-day moving average in the attached file.</div><hr>Below are the top 10 most correlated sector pairs above a 180-day correlation coefficient of 0.95 or higher. They are mostly cyclical stocks, which are in line with our conventional thinking that cyclical stocks have a stronger tendency to move together than growth stocks.<table class="table table-striped">
<colgroup>
<col width="200">
<col width="200">
<col width="100">
<col width="100">
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Comp 1"}'>Comp 1</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Comp 2"}'>Comp 2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"180-day correlation coefficient"}'>180-day correlation coefficient</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Business type"}'>Business type</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., Ltd."}'>Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., Ltd.</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Korea Shipbuilding &amp;Offshore Engn Co Ltd"}'>Korea Shipbuilding &amp;Offshore Engn Co Ltd</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.97405}'>0.97405</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Shipbuilding"}'>Shipbuilding</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Hyundai Department Store Co Ltd"}'>Hyundai Department Store Co Ltd</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Lotte Shopping Co Ltd"}'>Lotte Shopping Co Ltd</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.97033}'>0.97033</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Retail"}'>Retail</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"GS Engineering &amp; Construction Corp"}'>GS Engineering &amp; Construction Corp</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Hyundai Engineering &amp; Construction Co."}'>Hyundai Engineering &amp; Construction Co.</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.96379}'>0.96379</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Construction"}'>Construction</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD."}'>HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Hyundai Motor Co"}'>Hyundai Motor Co</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.96145}'>0.96145</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Automotive"}'>Automotive</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Shinhan Financial Group Co., Ltd."}'>Shinhan Financial Group Co., Ltd.</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"KB Financial Group Inc"}'>KB Financial Group Inc</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.95989}'>0.95989</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Commercial bank"}'>Commercial bank</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"LG Innotek Co., Ltd."}'>LG Innotek Co., Ltd.</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"LG Electronics Inc."}'>LG Electronics Inc.</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.95986}'>0.95986</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"IT"}'>IT</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Hansol Chemical Co Ltd"}'>Hansol Chemical Co Ltd</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Posco Chemical Co Ltd"}'>Posco Chemical Co Ltd</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.95374}'>0.95374</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Chemical"}'>Chemical</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Hanwha Aerospace Co Ltd"}'>Hanwha Aerospace Co Ltd</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd"}'>Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.95243}'>0.95243</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Aerospace"}'>Aerospace</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"KG DongbuSteel Co Ltd"}'>KG DongbuSteel Co Ltd</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"POSCO"}'>POSCO</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.95174}'>0.95174</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Steel"}'>Steel</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"KG DongbuSteel Co Ltd"}'>KG DongbuSteel Co Ltd</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Hyundai Steel Co"}'>Hyundai Steel Co</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.94972}'>0.94972</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Steel"}'>Steel</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan="4" rowspan="1" data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Source: KRX"}'>Source: KRX</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>Below are the top 10 stocks suffering the harshest diversion on a 20-day moving average among those having a 180-day correlation coefficient of 0.80 or higher. E-Mart and Lotte Shopping top the list with a -3.27σ and a correlation coefficient of 0.85. Silicon Works/LG Electronics and BGF Retail/E-Mart follow as they are also in a heavy diversion at +2.79σ and +2.58σ, respectively. Woori Financial/KB Financial and Pan Ocean/HMM aren't far away either.<table class="table table-striped">
<colgroup>
<col width="200">
<col width="200">
<col width="100">
<col width="100">
</colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Comp 1"}'>Comp 1</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Comp 2"}'>Comp 2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"180-day correlation coefficient"}'>180-day correlation coefficient</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Sigma on a 20-day moving average"}'>Sigma on a 20-day moving average</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"E-Mart Inc"}'>E-Mart Inc</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Lotte Shopping Co Ltd"}'>Lotte Shopping Co Ltd</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.8512795053699035}' data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"#,##0.00000",1]'>0.85128</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-3.2691212591928522}' data-sheets-numberformat='{"1":2,"2":"#,##0.00","3":1}'>-3.27</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Silicon Works Co Ltd"}'>Silicon Works Co Ltd</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"LG Electronics Inc."}'>LG Electronics Inc.</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.8241051481549174}' data-sheets-numberformat='{"1":2,"2":"#,##0.00000","3":1}'>0.82411</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":2.794228170493331}' data-sheets-numberformat='{"1":2,"2":"#,##0.00","3":1}'>2.79</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"BGF Retail Co Ltd"}'>BGF Retail Co Ltd</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"E-Mart Inc"}'>E-Mart Inc</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.847331528848073}' data-sheets-numberformat='{"1":2,"2":"#,##0.00000","3":1}'>0.84733</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":2.5786176868102397}' data-sheets-numberformat='{"1":2,"2":"#,##0.00","3":1}'>2.58</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Woori Financial Group Inc"}'>Woori Financial Group Inc</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"KB Financial Group Inc"}'>KB Financial Group Inc</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.8451741524292201}' data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"#,##0.00000",1]'>0.84517</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-2.465145723060455}' data-sheets-numberformat='{"1":2,"2":"#,##0.00","3":1}'>-2.47</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Pan Ocean Co Ltd"}'>Pan Ocean Co Ltd</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"HMM Co Ltd"}'>HMM Co Ltd</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.935905540581882}' data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"#,##0.00000",1]'>0.93591</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-2.33130934144712}' data-sheets-numberformat='{"1":2,"2":"#,##0.00","3":1}'>-2.33</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., Ltd."}'>Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., Ltd.</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Korea Shipbuilding &amp;Offshore Engn Co Ltd"}'>Korea Shipbuilding &amp;Offshore Engn Co Ltd</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.9740462682980674}' data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"#,##0.00000",1]'>0.97405</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":2.2401490556241117}' data-sheets-numberformat='{"1":2,"2":"#,##0.00","3":1}'>2.24</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"SK Innovation Co Ltd"}'>SK Innovation Co Ltd</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Samsung SDI Co Ltd"}'>Samsung SDI Co Ltd</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.9458691690353619}' data-sheets-numberformat='{"1":2,"2":"#,##0.00000","3":1}'>0.94587</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":2.1867120471913637}' data-sheets-numberformat='{"1":2,"2":"#,##0.00","3":1}'>2.19</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Hanwha Aerospace Co Ltd"}'>Hanwha Aerospace Co Ltd</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd"}'>Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.9524282780324967}' data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"#,##0.00000",1]'>0.95243</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":2.086128932784612}' data-sheets-numberformat='{"1":2,"2":"#,##0.00","3":1}'>2.09</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., Ltd."}'>Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., Ltd.</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Daewoo Engineering &amp; Construction Co Ltd"}'>Daewoo Engineering &amp; Construction Co Ltd</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.8206840084895756}' data-sheets-numberformat='[null,2,"#,##0.00000",1]'>0.82068</td>
<td style="text-align: right;" data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":1.9737577992711182}' data-sheets-numberformat='{"1":2,"2":"#,##0.00","3":1}'>1.97</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Woori Financial Group Inc</td>
<td>Shinhan Financial Group Co., Ltd.</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0.87902</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">-1.93</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan="4" data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Source: KRX"}'>Source: KRX</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>

I grouped Korea's closely correlated sector pairs within the same GICS sub-category. I applied the additional filtering: 1. a market cap of ₩1T or more and 2. stocks eligible to short-selling (KOSPI 200 and KOSDAQ 150). This grouping returns 141 sector pairs worthy of close monitoring for a long/short trade.You can find all the 141 sector pairs with the 180-day correlation coefficients and the sigma on a 20-day moving average in the attached file.Below are the top 10 most correlated sector pairs above a 180-day correlation coefficient of 0.95 or higher. They are mostly cyclical stocks, which are in line with our conventional thinking that cyclical stocks have a stronger tendency to move together than growth stocks.








Comp 1
Comp 2
180-day correlation coefficient
Business type


Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., Ltd.
Korea Shipbuilding &amp;Offshore Engn Co Ltd
0.97405
Shipbuilding


Hyundai Department Store Co Ltd
Lotte Shopping Co Ltd
0.97033
Retail


GS Engineering &amp; Construction Corp
Hyundai Engineering &amp; Construction Co.
0.96379
Construction


HYUNDAI MOBIS CO., LTD.
Hyundai Motor Co
0.96145
Automotive


Shinhan Financial Group Co., Ltd.
KB Financial Group Inc
0.95989
Commercial bank


LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
LG Electronics Inc.
0.95986
IT


Hansol Chemical Co Ltd
Posco Chemical Co Ltd
0.95374
Chemical


Hanwha Aerospace Co Ltd
Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd
0.95243
Aerospace


KG DongbuSteel Co Ltd
POSCO
0.95174
Steel


KG DongbuSteel Co Ltd
Hyundai Steel Co
0.94972
Steel

Source: KRX

Below are the top 10 stocks suffering the harshest diversion on a 20-day moving average among those having a 180-day correlation coefficient of 0.80 or higher. E-Mart and Lotte Shopping top the list with a -3.27σ and a correlation coefficient of 0.85. Silicon Works/LG Electronics and BGF Retail/E-Mart follow as they are also in a heavy diversion at +2.79σ and +2.58σ, respectively. Woori Financial/KB Financial and Pan Ocean/HMM aren't far away either.








Comp 1
Comp 2
180-day correlation coefficient
Sigma on a 20-day moving average


E-Mart Inc
Lotte Shopping Co Ltd
0.85128
-3.27


Silicon Works Co Ltd
LG Electronics Inc.
0.82411
2.79


BGF Retail Co Ltd
E-Mart Inc
0.84733
2.58


Woori Financial Group Inc
KB Financial Group Inc
0.84517
-2.47


Pan Ocean Co Ltd
HMM Co Ltd
0.93591
-2.33


Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., Ltd.
Korea Shipbuilding &amp;Offshore Engn Co Ltd
0.97405
2.24


SK Innovation Co Ltd
Samsung SDI Co Ltd
0.94587
2.19


Hanwha Aerospace Co Ltd
Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd
0.95243
2.09


Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., Ltd.
Daewoo Engineering &amp; Construction Co Ltd
0.82068
1.97


Woori Financial Group Inc
Shinhan Financial Group Co., Ltd.
0.87902
-1.93

Source: KRX



Korea Sector Long/Short Pairs Trade Ideas