Data: US Continuing Jobless Claims Rise to Highest Level Since November 2021

In the third quarter, Korean retail investors made net purchases of US stocks worth approximately 10.15 trillion won, marking a complete reversal from the previous pattern in the first half of the year, when they made net purchases of nearly 100 trillion won in KOSPI stocks. In September alone, the sell-off amount reached as high as 14.2 trillion won. Analysts attribute this shift to a combination of factors: a sharp decline in KOSPI at high levels, the continued strength of the US stock market driven by AI themes, and the appreciation of the Korean won reducing currency exchange costs.