SEOUL, July 7 (Xinhua) -- South Korean households' first-quarter surplus fund grew for a third straight quarter due to higher deposits and securities, central bank data showed Tuesday.
The net surplus fund, or the value of financial assets minus financial debts possessed by households and non-profit organizations, gained 12.2 trillion won (8.0 billion U.S. dollars) to 79.2 trillion won (52.1 billion dollars) in the January-March quarter compared to the previous quarter, according to the Bank of Korea (BOK).
The surplus fund has been rising since the third quarter of 2025 amid higher deposits and securities, affected by strong demand for stock investment among retail investors.
Financial assets, including deposits and securities, mounted 12.0 trillion won (7.9 billion dollars) in the first quarter.
The deposit holdings expanded 16.6 trillion won (10.9 billion dollars), but the possession of insurance and pension declined 33.7 trillion won (22.2 billion dollars).
The holdings of equity securities and investment funds soared 27.4 trillion won (18.0 billion dollars).
Financial liabilities fell 0.2 trillion won (131.6 million dollars) in the first quarter compared to the previous quarter.
The BOK left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.50 percent after reducing it by 25 basis points in February and May of 2025 and in October and November of 2024. ■