The Buzz | Foreign holdings of US Treasury debt rose to record

Foreign holdings of U.S. Treasury securities rose in December to a record high despite cutbacks by China and Japan.
Foreign ownership of Treasury securities increased 0.7 percent in December to a fresh record of USD6.17 trillion, up from $6.13 trillion in November, the Treasury Department reported yesterday.
China, the biggest foreign holder of Treasury debt, reduced its holdings 1.5 percent to $1.25 trillion. Japan, No. 2 foreign holder of U.S. government debt, trimmed its holdings by 2 percent to $1.12 trillion.
The declines were offset by Caribbean banking centers such as the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands, which boosted their holdings by 4.5 percent to $351.6 billion. Ireland and Switzerland also expanded their holdings.