Seoul: Corporate direct financing fell sharply in the first half of the year from the previous year due to a fall in bond sales, data showed Tuesday. Local companies raised a combined 126.58 trillion won (US$88.43 billion) in the January-June period by selling stocks and bonds, down 23.36 trillion won, or 15.6 percent, from a year earlier, according to the data from the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS). According to Yonhap News Agency, stock sales fell by 1.26 trillion won to 2.98 trillion won in the first half of the year compared to the same period in 2025, and corporate bond sales fell 22.1 trillion won, or 15.2 percent, to 123.59 trillion won from a year earlier. The value of outstanding corporate bonds stood at 757.24 trillion won as of end-June, an increase of 37.25 trillion won, or 5.1 percent, compared to last year, the latest findings showed.