The difference between total insider buying volume and total insider selling volume over a timeframe.
Definition
Net capital flow is a core quantitative metric that aggregates the nominal value of all voluntary open-market purchases and subtracts the nominal value of all voluntary open-market sales for a specific ticker over a rolling window (e.g., 30, 90, or 365 days).
Why it matters for Whale Tracking
It cuts through the noise of individual trades to reveal the macroeconomic trend of the boardroom. A positive net capital flow means liquidity is entering the stock from its own leadership; a negative flow indicates capital flight.
Real-World Example
"If AAPL insiders buy $10M of stock and sell $15M in the same month, the 30-day net capital flow is -$5M, resulting in a 'Net Liquidation' bias."