Bloomberg Writes: Foreigners Sold U.S. Assets as China Reduces Treasuries

 

Foreign investors were net sellers of U.S. long-term portfolio assets in August as China reduced its holdings of Treasuries to a six-month low.

The net long-term portfolio investment outflow was $8.9 billion after a revised $31 billion inflow in July, the Treasury Department said in a statement today in Washington. Net sales of U.S. equities by official holders abroad were a record $3.1 billion, and China lowered its holdings of U.S. government debt for the second time in three months, the department said.

Today’s report showed China remained the biggest foreign owner of U.S. Treasuries in August even as its holdings dropped $11.2 billion to $1.27 trillion.

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In my previous posts I have argued that the biggest impact of the US Government shutdown will not be any sort of a default, but a shaken confidence of foreign investors.

No one in their right mind, not the Chinese nor the Japanese, would trust the fiscal future of their nations to a government that acts like little children fighting over a toy.

As predicted, we are now beginning to see the consequences associated with shutting down the US Government with China cutting their US Treasuries buying.  While this outflow doesn’t make a trend, just yet, it is certainly something to watch over the next couple of years. I guarantee you that China and Japan both are discussing the issue at the highest levels. Their confidence has been shaken and they can no longer trust the US Government to the extent that they have in the past.  

The result? Very simple. Lower demand for the US Treasury, higher interest rates, slower growth,  a substantial decline in economic activity, much lower financial markets, a decline in real estate and auto sales. Not a good picture.  

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