Svmuu News: U.S. corporate executives are selling off stocks at the second-fastest pace in more than 20 years. For some investors, this is a classic warning sign, as it suggests that those most familiar with the companies’ operations are taking a cautious stance toward the current market. According to data from EPFR Global Market Intelligence, U.S. corporate insiders sold a cumulative $77.6 billion worth of stock in the first half of 2026, a 20% increase from the same period last year.
Over the past 20-plus years, only 2021 saw a larger scale of selling, when the market was driven by massive stimulus funds during the pandemic. “Insider trading activity indicates that, at current valuation levels, corporate executives have little incentive to increase their stock holdings,” wrote EPFR analyst Winston Chua and colleagues in a report.
Furthermore, buying activity by corporate insiders remains sluggish. In the first half of 2026, they purchased only $6.9 billion worth of company stock, just slightly above the seven-year low of $6.7 billion set during the same period last year. (Jin Shi)