A rate hike, but an end to the bad news? Why he says now is actually an opportunity | Park Byung-chang, CEO of MP Partners [Weekend Interview]

Park Byung-chang explains that the market held up relatively well because the Bank of Korea's interest rate hike had already been priced in over the short term, but that the medium- to long-term pressure of rising rates on consumption, corporate margins, debt burdens, and valuations cannot be taken lightly. In particular, because AI investment depends on large-scale capital expenditure, he believes that further rate hikes and continued uncertainty over war and inflation could make market conditions in 2027 more difficult than this year. For now, however, he sees the combination of quarter 3 earnings, lower valuations, expectations for semiconductor earnings, and the end of share buybacks as potentially creating rebound opportunities in October (month 10) for the Korean stock market, Samsung Electronics, and SK hynix. He says that semiconductor earnings have become more stable thanks to supply shortages and long-term supply agreements, making sideways trading and price consolidation more likely than a sharp plunge, and that investors should prepare to treat any major decline as a buying opportunity amid a crisis. He also advises that election results are more likely to affect sector-specific supply and demand than the overall market trend, and that investors should prepare cash and a watchlist to take advantage of volatility rather than overreact to short-term news. Finally, he emphasizes the importance of recognizing the asset value of earned income and planning to combine employment with long-term wealth building, rather than making short-term bets in pursuit of early retirement.