Data: South Korean retail investors made a large purchase of 4.6 billion USD in U.S. stocks in July, reaching a year-to-date high

The Kobeissi Letter posted on X that as volatility in the South Korean domestic market intensifies, South Korean retail investors have clearly shifted towards the U.S. stock market. In July, South Korean retail investors net purchased $4.6 billion in U.S. stocks, an increase of 627% from the previous month, marking the highest monthly level since January 2026, and significantly higher than the average monthly scale of $2.7 billion in 2025.

Meanwhile, the Korea Composite Stock Price Index has fallen 33% from its June peak, with approximately 75% of the decline attributed to the two major chip stocks, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. As a result, the scale of South Korean retail investors buying U.S. stocks last month exceeded that of domestic stocks for the first time since February.