Share prices of Korean shipbuilders have remained robust over the past few days, backed by recovery expectation of shipbuilding industry and attractive share prices, etc.  
According to securities industry, various indicators appearing ahead of newbuilding prices contribute to an uptrend of ship prices that the shipbuilding industry is expected to see a better condition from now on.
Analyst Yoo Jae-Hoon at Woori Investment & Securities of Korea revealed, “There have been signs of recovery in commercial vessel market, for instance, rising vessel prices and etc.,” and said, “In comparison with last year, drillship contracts show a relatively weak track record, however from the second half of this year, the recovery is likely to be seen.”
Analyst Jeon Yong-Beom at I’M Investment & Securities of Korea also said, “Ship value recovery is expected, affected by increased second-hand vessel trading,” and added, “From the fourth quarter of last year, second-hand tanker prices have shown a slow bounce-back, particularly for the medium-sized one. The trend seems to spread from May regardless of vessel type and vessel age, for instance, from early April, second-hand bulker prices started to make an upturn.”
Especially, the the Clarkson newbuilding price index bounced back posting 127p recently and it is seen to contribute to the rise in share prices of shipbuilders. The index recovered to be at 127p, having remained around 126p at the end of every month since late October of last year when 127.2p was recorded.
Analyst Choi Kwang-Sik from LIG Investment & Securities of Korea explained, “The index succeeded to bounce back for the first time since May, 2011, when excluding technical bounce-back in the mid point of the time,” and added, “It is meaning for the price index of second-hand vessel to have risen six times, year-to-date.”