South Korea will re-impose a ban on short-selling shares at least until June:
- Authorities say this is to promote a “level playing field” for retail and institutional investors
There had been a ban previously, this was removed, for trades involving the shares of large market capitalisation firms, in May of 2021 but remained in place for most other stocks. Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Kim Joo-hyun:
- “Amid continued uncertainty in financial markets, major foreign investment banks have been engaged as a matter of practice in unfair trades … and we determined that it would be impossible to maintain fair trading discipline,”
The FSC will review the decision in June.