Data explainers for Korean equity investors
Market reading: practical guides to Korean equities
Start by separating what different numbers measure. These guides work through questions about Korean equities and connect the calculations to the data you can check yourself.
Market reading
What should you check after the numbers?
Reading the market · 7 min read
Why are my stocks falling when the index rises? Reading breadth and concentration
Calculate why an index can rise when only 40 of 100 stocks advance, then compare KOSPI, KOSDAQ and breadth on a consistent basis after the close.
Worked example and checking stepsFX and investor flows · 7 min read
Does a weaker won mean foreign investors will sell? Reading FX and equity flows
Use a fictional 8% stock gain and 10% USD/KRW rise to calculate a roughly −1.82% dollar return, then separate FX observations from claims about foreign investors' motives.
Worked example and checking stepsCredit and liquidity · 7 min read
Can credit rise while its ratio falls? Reading margin balances and investor deposits
Work through fictional margin credit of KRW 20→21 trillion and deposits of KRW 50→60 trillion, separating balance growth, an aggregate ratio and your own account's collateral risk.
Worked example and checking stepsA way to use the guides
- Align dates and market coverage
- Change the worked-example inputs
- Check the interpretation against other data
- Record the finding and the open question
Example numbers are fictional. Check each guide’s sources and calculation basis, then align the observation dates, units and coverage of the real data.