Foreign Private Investors Pile Into US Stocks at Near-Record Pace in May

Foreign private investors continued to favor US equities in May, with net purchases rising $35.2 billion from the prior month to $121 billion. That marks the second-largest monthly inflow on record, trailing only the ~$130 billion recorded in November 2024. Year-to-date, foreign private net buying of US stocks has reached roughly $270 billion.

In contrast, global capital rotated away from Asian markets. Foreign investors sold $31 billion of South Korean stocks in June and $28 billion in May — the two largest monthly outflows on record. Similarly, Taiwanese equities saw $18 billion in foreign selling in June, the second-largest monthly divestment ever. The data underscore a sustained preference for US equities over other global markets.