“Artificial intelligence (AI) investors should pay attention to the cries of ‘canaries in coal mines..

사진 확대

Yoo Dong-won, head of Yuanta Securities’ global asset allocation division. 2026.10.29 [Reporter Han Joo-hyung]

“Artificial intelligence (AI) investors should pay attention to the cries of ‘canaries in coal mines’.”

At the “2026 Seoul Money Show Plus (+),” which opened at COEX Magok in Seoul on the 29th, there were voices calling for the sustainability of the AI investment craze and the concentration of assets in the portfolio. Analysts say that AI-related stocks have emerged as a key variable influencing market returns, but if profitability is not proven to match the size of the huge investment, it can increase volatility across the market.

It was the “canary in a coal mine” that emerged as a metaphor for investment risks. This means that just as miners used canaries to detect the risk of toxic gases early in the past, the AI market should also look at the profitability and financing conditions of key companies as risk signals.

It is pointed out that if major companies in the AI ecosystem, such as Antropic, OpenAI, and Oracle, cannot bear the burden of large-scale investments or have difficulty securing profitability, the impact could spread not only to the AI industry but also to the domestic and foreign stock markets.

In the domestic stock market, not only corporate performance but also shareholder return policies have emerged as key variables that determine investment attractiveness. The drop in stock prices on the day was also cited as an example of investors’ disappointment as Samsung Electronics delayed announcing additional shareholder return plans after next year.

Yoo Dong-won, head of Yuanta Securities’ global asset allocation division, said, “Those who are inherited by Samsung Electronics’ stocks should raise their hands,” referring to the difficulties of investors in the local stock market. “In order for investors to stop crying, we have no choice but to increase the proportion of U.S. stocks that are active in returning shareholders,” he said. The intention is that the sluggish stock price of domestic companies should be viewed as a matter of shareholder return policy and investor trust rather than a simple business problem.

Yoo presented a portfolio of 60% U.S. stocks, 20% Korean stocks, 15% U.S. government bonds and 5% gold under the premise that the AI investment cycle can continue and the profitability of related companies can be verified. It is a strategy to secure growth opportunities centered on U.S. stocks, but to disperse risks by incorporating domestic stocks, bonds, and gold together.

Hong Chun-wook, head of Prism Investment Advisory, cited U.S. long-term government bonds as an alternative to prepare for volatility. “If we can withstand volatility, long-term U.S. government bonds for more than 20 years can be an attractive investment target due to high interest rates,” he explained. However, long-term government bonds are difficult to see as stable assets as prices can fall when interest rates rise.

Gold was also mentioned as a common diversified investment asset. Analysts say that the recent price adjustment has lowered the investment burden and could be a means to respond to macroeconomic risks such as rising interest rates and inflation. CEO Hong said, “If you buy gold when the U.S. Nasdaq index is down more than 25% from its high point, the average return after a year has exceeded 30%. “Gold is a remarkable asset in the face of rising oil prices and inflation following the Middle East war,” he added.

Lee Seok-jin, head of the Raw Materials & Overseas Investment Research Institute, also noted the possibility of prolonged inflation. “If inflation continues due to high oil prices, the return on gold and other raw materials could exceed stocks,” he said. “The recent slump in gold prices can be seen as a short-term adjustment after a two- to three-year surge.”

Some advised participating in long-term market growth by using index investments rather than intensive investments in individual stocks. Kim Nam-ki, head of Mirae Asset Asset Management’s ETF division, said at a seminar titled “Smart Asset Allocation Strategy Made from ETFs” that day, “The prejudice that index investment is boring overlooks the effect of index rebalancing.” “As of the end of 1980, none of the top 10 companies in the S&P 500 market capitalization remained until the end of August 2026,” he explained. This means that regardless of the rise or fall of a particular company, the index reflects changes in the market as it replaces its components.

It was also suggested to use the U.S. representative index rather than individual stocks when incorporating dollar-denominated assets. In the strong won, the burden of purchasing dollar assets based on won may be reduced, and tax benefits such as pension savings funds, personal comprehensive asset management accounts (ISA), and personal retirement pension (IRP) can reduce taxes depending on investment products and account requirements.