Foreign investors turn net sellers of S. Korean bonds in Aug.

This will let Google show Yonhap news articles that match or are related to your search

SEOUL, Sept. 13 (Yonhap) -- Foreign investors turned net sellers of South Korean bonds in August for the first time in about 3 1/2 years, industry data showed Sunday, as the yield advantage from currency-hedged investments declined.

Foreign investors sold a net 839.7 billion won (US$624.8 million) worth of Korean bonds last month, marking their first monthly net selling since January 2023, according to data from investment banks and debt market sources.

They remained net buyers of 63.26 trillion won in the year through Sept. 11, but the amount was down 35.2 percent from the same period a year earlier.

An employee sorts 50,000-won banknotes at Hana Bank's forgery response center in central Seoul, in this file photo from Aug. 21, 2026. (Yonhap)

Their Korean bond holdings also fell sharply, dropping by about 12.9 trillion won from a record 356.6 trillion won on July 24 to 343.6 trillion won on Sept. 2. It marked the largest decline over a comparable 27-trading-day period in the past five years.

The slowdown largely reflects the erosion of arbitrage opportunities, as Korean bonds have lost their yield advantage over U.S. assets after currency hedging.

The arbitrage spread fell from 68.3 basis points at the end of last year to minus 30 basis points as of Sept. 10, making currency-hedged investments in short-term Korean bonds less attractive than comparable U.S. dollar assets.

Still, passive inflows tied to South Korea's phased inclusion in the World Government Bond Index (WGBI) have helped cushion the selling pressure, with market watchers saying foreign net selling would have been greater without the WGBI-related inflows.

ejkim@yna.co.kr (END)

BTS concludes N. American tour with record-breaking LA shows

BTS' Jungkook hits 500 mln Spotify streams with self-written 'Still With You'

(LEAD) Philippine defense chief slams China over audience note on South China Sea at Seoul forum

Son Ye-jin returns to historical drama in remake of 'The Scandal'

Corporate response team continues search for 9 S. Koreans missing in Nepal floods

(News Focus) S. Korea faces high-stakes decision on potential Hormuz Strait deployment

'The Odyssey' tops weekend box office for 5th week

(2nd LD) S. Korea's nominal GDP grows at fastest pace in 47 years in Q2; $40,000 per capita GNI on track

(3rd LD) N. Korea fires multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward East Sea: JCS

Cheong Wa Dae denounces N.K. missile launch as violation of UNSC resolution

(2nd LD) N. Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles toward East Sea: JCS

S. Korean container ship arrives in Britain via Arctic route in 21 days

U.S. lawmaker calls on State Dept. to revise policy on N. Korea travel ban

Giant panda cub named Shu Bao

Anti-terrorism drill in S. Korea

S. Korea's 2nd disaster relief team arrives in Nepal

Ahead of Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games

Foreign investors turn net sellers of S. Korean bonds in Aug.

这将使谷歌能够向您展示与您的搜索匹配或相关的韩联社新闻文章。

首尔，9月13日（韩联社）——行业数据显示，由于货币对冲投资的收益优势下降，外国投资者在8月份成为韩国债券的净卖方，这是近3年半以来的首次。

根据投资银行和债务市场消息人士的数据，外国投资者上个月净卖出价值 8397 亿韩元（6.248 亿美元）的韩国债券，这是自 2023 年 1 月以来首次出现月度净卖出。

截至 9 月 11 日的一年中，他们仍净买入 63.26 万亿韩元，但与上年同期相比下降了 35.2%。

这张摄于2026年8月21日的资料照片显示，一名员工在首尔市中心韩亚银行的伪钞处理中心整理5万韩元面额的钞票。（韩联社）

他们的韩国债券持有量也大幅下降，从7月24日创纪录的356.6万亿韩元降至9月2日的343.6万亿韩元，减少了约12.9万亿韩元。这是过去五年中，在可比的27个交易日内出现的最大降幅。

经济放缓主要反映了套利机会的减少，因为在进行货币对冲后，韩国债券相对于美国资产的收益率优势已经消失。

截至 9 月 10 日，套利价差从去年底的 68.3 个基点降至 -30 个基点，使得对短期韩国债券进行货币对冲投资的吸引力不如类似的美元资产。

不过，与韩国分阶段纳入世界政府债券指数（WGBI）相关的被动资金流入，有助于缓解抛售压力。市场观察人士表示，如果没有与WGBI相关的资金流入，外国净卖出量将会更大。

ejkim@yna.co.kr (完)

BTS北美巡演圆满落幕，洛杉矶站演出打破多项纪录。

BTS成员柾国凭借自作曲《Still With You》在Spotify上的播放量突破5亿次。

（导语）菲律宾国防部长抨击中国在首尔论坛上就南海问题发表的发言。

孙艺珍回归古装剧​​，翻拍《绯闻》

企业救援队继续搜寻在尼泊尔洪灾中失踪的9名韩国人

（新闻焦点）韩国面临是否在霍尔木兹海峡部署武器的高风险决定。

《奥德赛》连续第五周蝉联周末票房冠军

（第二部分）韩国第二季度名义GDP增速创47年来最快；人均国民总收入有望达到4万美元

（第三份报告）朝鲜向东海发射多枚短程弹道导弹：联合参谋本部

青瓦台谴责朝鲜导弹发射违反联合国安理会决议

（第二次）朝鲜向东海发射多枚弹道导弹：联合参谋本部

韩国集装箱船经北极航线，历时21天抵达英国

美国议员呼吁国务院修改对朝鲜的旅行禁令政策

大熊猫幼崽名叫舒宝

韩国举行反恐演习

韩国第二支灾害救援队抵达尼泊尔

在爱知-名古屋亚运会之前

8月份外国投资者转为韩国债券净卖出者。