TIC Data Shows Record Month in March 2021 for U.S. Securities Purchased Net

Posted on 05/17/2021

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According to Treasury International Capital (TIC) data, overall foreign purchases of U.S. long-term assets hit a record US$ 208.1 billion in March 2021. It was the biggest U.S. corporate bond buying binge since May 2008 at US$ 43.1 billion. In addition, this is the biggest last-12-months buying of stocks ever at US$ 406.4 billion.

U.S. residents decreased their holdings of long-term foreign securities, with net sales of US$ 54.1 billion. Foreign residents decreased their holdings of U.S. Treasury bills by US$ 69.1 billion. Foreign resident holdings of all dollar-denominated short-term U.S. securities and other custody liabilities decreased by US$ 53.7 billion.

The monthly data on holdings of long-term securities, as well as the monthly table on Major Foreign Holders of Treasury Securities, reflect foreign holdings of U.S. securities collected primarily on the basis of custodial data.

(U.S.) Domestic Securities Purchased, net (Billions USD)
Mar 2021, 208.1
Feb 2021, -7.3
Jan 2021, 33.8
Dec 2020, 97.4
Nov 2020, 125.8
Oct 2020, 31.4
Sep 2020, 78.2
Aug 2020, 33.6
Jul 2020, -26.2
Jun 2020, 78.8
May 2020, 59.1
Apr 2020, -153
Mar 2020, -227.4
Feb 2020, 35.4

Source: U.S. Department of the Treasury (TIC).