[Institutions: U.S. Corporate Executives Selling Stocks at Near-Record Pace] Odaily Planet Daily News – U.S. corporate executives are selling stocks at the second-fastest pace in over 20 years. For some investors, this serves as a classic warning signal, as it suggests that those most familiar with their companies' operations hold a cautious outlook on the current market. According to data from EPFR Global Market Intelligence, in the first half of 2026, U.S. corporate insiders sold a total of $77.6 billion worth of stocks, a 20% increase compared to the same period last year. Over the past 20 years, only 2021 saw a larger scale of stock sales, driven by massive stimulus funds during the pandemic. EPFR analysts Winston Chua and others wrote in a report: 'Insider trading behavior indicates that at current valuation levels, corporate executives have little strong incentive to increase their stock holdings.' Additionally, insider buying activity remains sluggish. In the first half of 2026, they purchased only $6.9 billion worth of company stocks, slightly above the seven-year low of $6.7 billion recorded during the same period last year. (Jin10)