The balance in securities lending has risen sharply in January from a month earlier, industry data showed, as investors expect an imminent correction in stock prices, which have hit record highs in recent weeks.
The balance stood at 49.8 trillion won (US$46.7 billion) as of Thursday, up 9.8 percent from 45.4 trillion won at the end of December, according to the figures provided by the Korea Securities Depository (KSD). The comparable figures were 52.5 trillion won for October and 51.8 trillion won for November.