SEOUL, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Foreign holdings of South Korean securities hit a new monthly record high last month on eased geopolitical risks on the Korean Peninsula and positive corporate earnings, financial watchdog data showed Tuesday.
Foreign ownership of local securities reached a fresh high of 752.39 trillion won (672.96 billion U.S. dollars), including 651.22 trillion won of domestic stocks and 101.17 trillion won of bonds, as of end-October, according to the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS).
Foreigners turned into net buyers in the local financial market on eased tensions on the peninsula. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has conducted no provocation in the past two months.
Positive third-quarter corporate earnings also contributed to upbeat sentiment among foreign investors.
Foreigners bought a net 2.42 trillion won of local stocks last month. Investors from Europe were the biggest foreign buyer in the local stock market in October with 1.5 trillion won, followed by U.S. investors with 1.1 trillion won and Asian investors with 0.4 trillion won.
Foreign holdings of local stocks accounted for 33.9 percent of the total market capitalization in October.
Foreign ownership of domestic bonds took up 6.1 percent of the total last month.
