Foreign ownership of S. Korean stocks edges up in Jan.

SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- Foreign ownership of South Korean shares inched up in
January from the previous month on relieved investor sentiment over the local
equity market, the bourse operator said Monday.

As of Jan. 29, foreign investors held a combined 28.84 percent of local shares
traded on the main bourse, up 0.1 percentage point from the end of 2008, the
Korea Exchange (KRX) said.
Foreigners bought a net 730.75 billion won (US$529 million) worth of local shares
in January, it said.
The benchmark KOSPI added 3.98 percent in January from December on eased investor
jitters.
Foreign ownership of local stocks has been on a downward trend for four straight
years since peaking at 44.12 percent in 2004, according to the KRX.
pbr@yna.co.kr
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