Summary
Director Jeong Tae-geun of Mir Economic Research argues that the sharp KOSPI sell-off mirrors past crashes. He advises patience through July due to bearish monthly seasonality, then expects an August semiconductor-led rebound to previous highs, provided Samsung and SK Hynix earnings estimates hold. He also presents a macro view that the Fed will not hike rates this year, and that the AI mega-trend remains alive but is rotating within the cycle.
- Jeong Tae-geun expects one final volatility flush before a rebound, targeting prior KOSPI highs.
- He specifically recommends avoiding new buys in July because the monthly pattern of a weak start leading to a weak finish has held all year.
- From August onward, he sees a trading opportunity in Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, as semis retain market leadership and extreme oversold conditions can trigger a base-driven rally.
- The bullish scenario requires Q3 earnings forecasts – especially Samsung’s ~100 trillion won revenue – to stay intact and not be downgraded.
- He believes the Fed will keep rates on hold, citing Kevin Warsh’s inflation philosophy and hidden debt risks at major tech firms that make rate hikes too dangerous.
- He notes that the AI mega-trend is not over, but the mini-cycle has shifted from NVIDIA to HBM and eventually may move toward software, akin to the smartphone hardware-to-software transition.
- The hosts discuss practical strategies for underwater investors, with Jeong Tae-geun suggesting they hold through the rebound rather than selling piecemeal to minimize regret.