(Reuters) – Foreign investors remained net sellers of Japanese equities last week on concerns over a slow global economic recovery, with data on U.S. economic activity showing a sedate progress.
Data from Japanese exchanges showed foreigners were net sellers of stocks worth 383.61 billion yen ($3.64 billion) for the week ended Sept. 25, the biggest in eight weeks.
They sold 184.79 billion yen in cash equities markets, and 198.82 billion yen in derivatives.
Graphic – Foreign flows into Japanese stocks: https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/rlgpdjgbjpo/Foreign%20flows%20into%20Japanese%20stocks.jpg
Investors sought to limit exposures to downside risks as the global economic outlook darkened on rising COVID-19 infections in Europe as well as on uncertainties over the U.S. presidential election.
Last week, data showed that U.S. business activity cooled in September, dampening hopes about a recovery from the pandemic recession.
Japanese stock indexes, the Topix index <.TOPX> and the Nikkei share average <.N225>, both fell about 0.7% last week.
On the other hand, Japanese investors sold overseas equities worth a net 28.1 billion yen last week, marking a third successive week of net selling, finance ministry data showed.
Graphic – Japanese investments in stocks abroad: https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/mkt/ygdpzkagrvw/Japanese%20investments%20in%20stocks%20abroad.jpg
(Reporting by Gaurav Dogra and Patturaja Murugaboopathy; Editing by Toby Chopra)
