Retail Investors Buzz Over the 9,000-Point Milestone... Waiting Funds in the Stock Market Hit 128 Trillion Won, Margin Loans 38 Trillion Won

[Financial News] On the 18th, when the KOSPI broke through the 9,000 level, both stock market waiting funds and "debt investing" funds increased. 
According to the Korea Financial Investment Association on the 20th, investor deposits, which are stock market waiting funds, stood at 128.4086 trillion won on the 18th. Investor deposits refer to cash-like funds that customers keep in accounts at securities firms. 
Investor deposits had risen to 139.6948 trillion won on the 4th, then declined to 121.0566 trillion won on the 12th. However, they have been gradually rising again on expectations of further gains in stock prices.
In particular, the figure jumped sharply in just one day as the KOSPI surpassed the 9,000 mark. It rose by 377.66 billion won, or 3.0%, from 124.632 trillion won on the 17th to 128.4086 trillion won on the 18th, when the index broke through the "9,000-pi" level. 
Margin loan balances, a key indicator of debt investing, also increased. Margin loan balances refer to the amount investors borrowed from securities firms to buy stocks and have not yet repaid. The figure shows that individual investors are using borrowed money to invest on a larger scale.
The amount reached 37.9797 trillion won on the 18th, the highest level since the record 38.0227 trillion won set on the 29th of last month. Among them, margin loan balances on the Korea Exchange Main Board stood at 28.9275 trillion won, also near an all-time high. 
Meanwhile, banks are also cutting credit loan limits and restricting overdraft accounts to curb demand for debt investing. Following major commercial banks, the three internet-only banks — KakaoBank Corp, K Bank, and Toss Bank — have also begun tightening lending. 

[email protected] Lee Hyun-jung Reporter