Korea’s AI crackdown could set off wholesome correction, India may gain advantage: Rahul Chadha
Chatting with ET Now, Rahul Chadha from Shikhara Funding stated the market had been more and more involved about leveraged and double-leveraged exchange-traded funds (ETFs), notably these concentrated in Samsung and SK Hynix.
Wholesome Correction in AI Commerce
Chadha stated semiconductor shares had turn out to be excessively frothy amid the AI growth and famous that his funds had remained underweight on the sector by round 5-6%.”The strikes had bought a bit frothy within the semiconductor house… some pullback right here is wholesome. A extra essential factor for the AI winners or AI trades is whether or not we get any clues from the Magazine-7 on what they’re doing with AI capex. Are they going to keep up this capex, ramp it up, or reduce?”
Demand Outlook Stays Crucial
He believes the latest decline might proceed modestly earlier than consideration shifts again to AI demand and earnings visibility.”We’ve seen 10% occur with a few of these Korean names, one other 5-7% to go. What can really affect the semiconductor or the AI commerce is any sort of pullback in demand.”
He added that earnings revisions have remained exceptionally sturdy resulting from persistent chip shortages, with provide anticipated to catch up solely in 2028.
Korea Coverage Developments Want Monitoring
Moreover the semiconductor correction, buyers are additionally monitoring discussions round taxing unrealised good points and South Korea’s failure to safe developed market standing from MSCI.
Chadha stated a developed market improve was by no means a certainty as a result of foreign money convertibility points stay unresolved.
“Folks had been speculating, however Korea was not likely a critical contender for an improve to developed market standing. On unrealised good points taxation, it is a transfer one will watch.”
India Effectively Positioned within the Close to Time period
Chadha believes easing geopolitical tensions, softer crude oil costs and the Reserve Financial institution of India’s reserve build-up are supportive for Indian markets within the close to time period.
“The close to decision of the Center East battle, oil coming down, and what the RBI is doing to beef up reserves are all optimistic.”
Nonetheless, he cautioned that job creation and concrete demand will stay key medium-term considerations.
“If you’re assembly IT providers corporations, no one is trying to rent. These questions on formal sector job creation and concrete demand will come again in six to 9 months.”
Overseas Buyers Are Rotating, Not Exiting
In response to Chadha, overseas buyers are usually not abandoning India however are reallocating capital away from conventional large-cap winners towards newer development alternatives.
“You see FII promoting in a few of these large-cap, index-heavy names, whereas FIIs have been including publicity to manufacturing exports and shopper web corporations. There’s a rebalance of portfolios taking place.”
He added that world capital flows will in the end proceed to comply with earnings momentum, with AI-driven markets comparable to Taiwan and South Korea prone to stay engaging if earnings development stays sturdy.

