Foreigners resume buying long-term U.S. assets in November: U.S. Treasury data

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Foreigners resumed their purchases of long-term U.S. securities in November after selling them for the first time in nine months in October, data from the U.S. Treasury Department showed on Tuesday.

Foreigners bought $31.4 billion in long-term U.S. assets in November from a revised $17.7 billion in sales from the previous month. October's sales were originally reported at $16.6 billion in long-term U.S. assets.

The bulk of November's purchases was in U.S. Treasuries after overseas holders unloaded $55.2 billion in government bonds in October, the largest outflow since January 1978.

Private offshore investors bought $36.3 billion in Treasury debt in November, compared with $36.7 billion in sales in October.

Foreign official institutions including international and regional organizations, on the other hand, bought $2.02 billion in U.S. Treasuries, following sales of $18.4 billion in October.

The latest data also showed China remained Uncle Sam's biggest creditor in November, holding $1.264 trillion in U.S. government which was the most since August.

Japan, the second largest holders of Treasuries, pared its holdings for a fourth consecutive month at $1.145 trillion.

Amid the ongoing drop in crude prices, the combined oil exporting countries' ownership of U.S. government debt fell to $289.0 billion in November, which was their lowest level in 11 months. [O/R]

There has been speculation central banks of oil-exporting nations have been spending their dollar reserves to help stabilize their currencies.

Overall foreign central bank holdings of U.S. government debt rose to $6.126 trillion from a revised $6.048 trillion in October.

Meanwhile, overseas sales of U.S. stocks continued for a fourth straight month, totaling $16.3 billion November.

Foreign purchases of U.S. corporate bonds shrank to $5.07 billion, which were the smallest monthly total since April and less than $12.03 billion in October.

(Reporting by Richard Leong; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Tom Brown)

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