Seoul: South Korean individual investors' net purchases of overseas stocks reached an all-time high last month, data showed Tuesday. Local retailers bought a net US$6.81 billion worth of foreign stocks in October, nearly 2.5 times higher than the $2.77 billion recorded a month earlier, according to the data from the Korea Center for International Finance (KCIF).

According to Yonhap News Agency, U.S. stocks made up the largest share of their purchases, totaling $6.85 billion. In particular, investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and technology stocks surged from $1.62 billion in September to $3.25 billion last month, representing 47.4 percent of total U.S. stock purchases.

Outside the United States, investors turned to a net buying mode in Hong Kong by purchasing $30 million worth of shares, while scooping a net $10 million in China. However, they remained net sellers in the Japanese and European stock markets.

As for overseas bonds, investors recorded $180 million in net purchases last month, marking the 35th consecutive month of buying, though the October figure was the smallest monthly amount since November 2022, the data showed.