Foreign holdings of U.S. Treasury debt increase

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Washington • Foreign buyers of U.S. Treasury securities increased their holdings in February to another record high.

The Treasury Department says total foreign holdings rose 0.8 percent to $5.89 trillion, up from $5.84 trillion in January.

China, the largest foreign buyer of Treasury debt, reduced its holdings a slight 0.2 percent, to $1.27 trillion. Japan, the second-largest buyer, boosted its holdings 0.8 percent, to $1.21 trillion.

Foreign demand for U.S. Treasury securities is expected to remain strong this year, aided by more borrowing certainty with a congressional agreement to suspend the debt limit until March 2015.