An official walks inside a dealing room in Hana Bank in Seoul, March 12. Yonhap Foreign investors remained net sellers of Korean stocks for the seventh consecutive month in February amid heightened uncertainties here and abroad, the central bank said Wednesday. Offshore investors sold a net US$1.81 billion worth of local stocks last month, following a net selling of $510 million in January, according to the data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). Foreigners have been net sellers in the Korean stock market since August 2024. "Weak investor sentiment in the semiconductor market following a shock from DeepSeek and U.S. President Donald Trump's new tariff plans has led to foreigners' net selling," a BOK official said. But foreigners bought a net $3.54 billion worth of Korean bonds last month, ending a two-month selling streak. The data also showed the Korean currency weakened against the U.S. dollar to come to 1,463.4 won in February, compared with 1,452.7 won a month earlier. But the daily fluctuation of the dollar-won exchange rate fell to an average of 5.6 won from 5.9 won over the cited period, according to the data. The Korean won weakened markedly in recent months due mainly to the political turmoil sparked by President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law declaration Dec. 3 and the continued strengthening of the U.S. dollar. (Yonhap)
