Japanese investors sell foreign stocks in April
Japanese investors became net sellers of foreign equities in April for the first time in four months, divesting 636.4 billion yen. The shift followed concerns over rising energy costs and U.S. inflation data, though net sales of foreign bonds slowed to a three-month low of 219.2 billion yen.
Investors in Japan sold a net 636.4 billion yen ($4.04 billion) of foreign stocks in April, marking the first divestment in four months. This selloff represents the largest monthly net exit from overseas equities since at least late 2024. Rising energy costs linked to the Iran war and inflation concerns are driving a retreat to safety.
### Trust Accounts Lead the Equity Exit Japanese trust accounts drove the trend by withdrawing 1.85 trillion yen from foreign stocks, the largest monthly pullout in the recent period. This move offset buying from investment trust managers and life insurers, who purchased 1.25 trillion yen and 333.1 billion yen in shares. Data from the Ministry of Finance showed the selloff in foreign bonds eased to a three-month low of 219.2 billion yen.
