Non residents buy $5.1 billion in Canadian securities in August

The Canadian Press

Non-residents invested further in Canadian securities in August, adding $5.1 billion to their portfolios.

Statistics Canada reports foreign investment was spread among all asset classes, except government short-term debt securities.

Meanwhile, Canadian investors adjusted their portfolios of foreign securities, moving from foreign debt to foreign stocks for a net reduction of $112 million.

The trend of foreign acquisitions of Canadian bonds in 2009 carried into August, with non-residents acquiring an additional $4.5 billion worth — most of it in federal government and its enterprises’ bonds.

Canadians continued to reduce their holdings of foreign bonds in August, selling $2.7 billion worth — nearly all of it in U.S. government bonds.