Iraq increases US Treasury bond holdings
The acquisition of the State of Iraq of US Treasury bonds during the month of June 2019, by 30.94%, year on year.
According to Treasury data, Iraq’s holdings of US bonds increased to $ 34.7 billion, up from $ 26.5 billion in June 2018.
Iraq bought US $ 300 million in June.
On a monthly basis, Iraq’s ownership of US bonds rose marginally by 0.87% in June 2019, compared to the $ 34.4 billion in May of the same year.
The ownership of Iraq has increased US bonds since the beginning of this year, about $ 100 million; compared to its ownership at the end of 2018, which was $ 34.6 billion.
Iraq ranked 31st globally among the holders of US Treasury bonds and the fourth in the Arab world, after Saudi Arabia, which ranks 11 globally and first Arab at $ 179.6 billion, the United Arab Emirates ranked 22 globally and the second Arab at $ 51.5 billion, and Kuwait ranked 27 globally and third $ 44.4 billion.
The reversal of the US bond yield curve raised fears of a US recession as government debt yields fell for 30 years to an all-time low.
Globally, Japan took the top spot with US $ 1.122 trillion in bonds, followed by China with $ 1.112 trillion and the UK with $ 341.1 billion.
The world’s total holdings of US Treasury bonds in June were $ 6.636 trillion, compared with $ 6.539 trillion in May.