South Korean day traders double down on stock market amid historic volatility

The South Korean stock market has been experiencing unprecedented volatility since the war escalated in the Middle East. The benchmark Kospi plunged 12 per cent on March 4 – its biggest one‑day loss on record. Despite the uncertainty, South Korean retail investors, known as “ants,” have poured into the domestic stock market since January. On March 23 alone, they bought a record 7 trillion won (US$4.6 billion) worth of stocks, even as the index slumped 6.5 per cent on the day.