South Korean retail investors, nicknamed « ants », poured $4.6 billion into US equities in July, their largest monthly purchase since January 2026. The KOSPI index posted its worst monthly decline since the 2008 global financial crisis, falling roughly 40% from its June peak. Estimated retail losses totaled between $38.7 and $39 billion, with more than 1.2 million accounts hit by margin calls. Meanwhile, foreign institutional investors dumped a record $30.72 billion worth of Korean stocks and bonds.
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