Here’s the Treasury’s January report on international credit flows that was released this past Monday (3/16):

“Net foreign purchases of long-term securities were negative $43.0 billion.

• Net foreign purchases of long-term U.S. securities were negative $18.8 billion. Of this, net purchases by private foreign investors were negative $10.2 billion, and net purchases by foreign official institutions were negative $8.5 billion.

• U.S. residents purchased a net $24.2 billion of long-term foreign securities.

Net foreign acquisition of long-term securities, taking into account adjustments, is estimated to have been negative $60.9 billion.

Foreign holdings of dollar-denominated short-term U.S. securities, including Treasury bills, and other custody liabilities increased $30.9 billion. Foreign holdings of Treasury bills decreased $15.4 billion.

Banks’ own net dollar-denominated liabilities to foreign residents decreased $118.9 billion.

Monthly net TIC flows were negative $148.9 billion. Of this, net foreign private flows were negative $158.1 billion, and net foreign official flows were $9.2 billion. .”

The whole report can be found at the Treasury website.

 Comments

The only US securities foreigners are purchasing are short-term, and it looks like only foreign governments are doing that.

For comparison, here’s the TIC report for  January 2008, (release 3/17/08)

Monthly net TIC flows were positive $37.4 billion (compared to negative $148.9 billion this year). Of this, net foreign private flows were negative $38.2 billion, and net foreign official flows were positive $75.5 billion. That means on a net flow basis, only foreigners were really buying last year as well.