Institution: U.S. Corporate Executives Are Selling Stocks at an Almost Record Pace

BlockBeats News, July 17th - U.S. corporate executives are currently selling stocks at the second fastest pace in over 20 years. For some investors, this is a typical warning signal as it indicates that those who know the company's operations best are cautious about the current market. According to data from EPFR Global Market Intelligence, in the first half of 2026, U.S. corporate insiders have collectively sold $77.6 billion worth of stock, a 20% increase from the same period last year. Over the past 20 years, only 2021 saw a larger scale of selling, driven by massive stimulus funds during the pandemic.

EPFR analysts, including Winston Chua, wrote in a report: "The trading behavior of insiders indicates that at the current valuation levels, corporate executives do not have a strong desire to increase their stock holdings." Furthermore, insider buying activity remains subdued. In the first half of 2026, they only bought $6.9 billion worth of company stock, just slightly higher than the seven-year low of $6.7 billion set in the same period last year. (Jin10)