WASHINGTON: Foreign holdings of US Treasury securities jumped in February, driven by China and Japan, the two biggest foreign owners of US debt.
The Treasury Department says total foreign holdings added 0.9 percent to US$6.24 trillion.
China expanded its holdings 1.1 percent to US$1.25 trillion, while Japan hiked its holdings 0.9 percent to US$1.13 trillion.
Holdings by the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands rose 3 percent to US$361 billion.
The national debt now stands at a record US$19.1 trillion. With the federal budget deficit projected to grow, the US will need to see continued strong foreign demand for Treasury debt.
