Foreign demand for U.S. debt rose to a record high in February as China increased its holdings for the second consecutive month, the Treasury Department reported Monday. The department said total foreign holdings rose 0.8 percent in February to $5.1 trillion, marking the seventh consecutive monthly increase. China, the biggest holder of Treasury debt, raised its holdings 1.1 percent to $1.18 trillion. Before January, China had reduced its holdings for five consecutive months. Japan, the second-largest holder of U.S. debt, increased its holdings 1.2 percent to $1.1 trillion. U.S. government debt is considered one of the safest investments in the world.
