The Canadian Press

Canadian securities continued to draw significant foreign investment in October as non-residents acquired $5.8 billion worth, mainly in federal government bonds.

Statistics Canada reports non-residents have added $86.4 billion of Canadian securities to their portfolios so far this year, already exceeding any previous annual foreign investment.

The agency says Canadians removed $4.2 billion from their holdings of foreign securities in October, divesting both debt and equity instruments.

This comes after a $4.7-billion divestment in September.

Foreign investors continued to adjust their holdings of Canadian debt securities to longer term instruments in October.

They added $6 billion of Canadian bonds to their portfolios, the largest inflow since May 2009, and disposed of $1.6 billion of Canadian money market instruments.