The Debts of the Spenders: US TIC Data Comfortably in Line W/Forecasts

Bond vigilantes and policy pundits (myself included) are in for some disappointment this month on the TIC data. TIC data measures the net inflow of foreign money into subsidizing Uncle Sam's voracious crack habit of spending future generations' money today.


The results measure March - a time when equities were just beginning to "recover." (Govt paper has an inverse relationship to equity). This indicates that institutions remained skeptical of the equity (err.....short squeeze) rally throughout the month and preferred to be ensconced w/in more secure assets. This means that April's data should be interesting. . .

Net foreign purchases of long-term securities were $55.8 billion.

• Net foreign purchases of long-term U.S. securities were $56.4 billion. Of this, net purchases by private foreign investors were $30.0 billion, and net purchases by foreign official institutions were $26.4 billion.

• U.S. residents purchased a net $0.6 billion of long-term foreign securities.

Net foreign acquisition of long-term securities, taking into account adjustments, is estimated to have been $36.9 billion.

Foreign holdings of dollar-denominated short-term U.S. securities, including Treasury bills, and other custody liabilities increased $26.7 billion. Foreign holdings of Treasury bills increased $47.9 billion.

Source: http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/tg133.htm