Foreign investors became net sellers of South Korean stocks in November, ending a six-month buying streak as they cashed in gains. Data from the Financial Supervisory Service showed they sold a net 13.37 trillion won worth of shares last month.
At the Korea Exchange building in Yeouido, Seoul, the screen displaying KOSPI and KOSDAQ indices highlighted a shift as foreign investors turned net sellers of South Korean stocks in November, snapping a six-month buying streak that began in May. According to data from the Financial Supervisory Service released on Friday, they offloaded a net 13.37 trillion won ($9.1 billion) worth of local shares, reversing a net purchase of 4.2 trillion won from the prior month. Following the sales, offshore investors held 1,192 trillion won in South Korean stocks, representing 29.6 percent of the total market capitalization.
By country, British investors led the selling with a net 4.5 trillion won offloaded, followed by U.S. investors at 4.1 trillion won. In contrast, the local bond market saw foreign buying, with a net purchase of 17.62 trillion won in bonds last month. Their bond holdings reached 321.6 trillion won by end-November, accounting for 11.6 percent of listed bonds. This pivot reflects investors securing profits amid recent market gains in South Korea.
