WASHINGTON – Russia’s investment in US Treasuries rose to its highest level since October 2014 in May, a study by the U.S. Treasury Department shows.
Russia increased investments in US Treasuries by $3.8 billion to $108.7 billion in May 2017. It was the fifth straight month of increased investment in US Treasuries, although the increases in the total were negligible in the first few months of that period ($86.1 billion in December, $86.2 billion in January, and $86.3 billion in February, followed by $99.8 billion in March and $104.9 billion in April).
The last time Russia’s investment in US Treasuries was higher was the $108.9 billion recorded in October 2014, during a period of rapid decline in the total, from over $150 billion in 2013. Against the backdrop of deteriorating relations between Russia and the West over the conflict in Ukraine, Russia sold as much as $20 billion-$25 billion in US Treasuries in individual months.
As a result, Russia’s rank among the biggest creditors of the United States rose to 13th place in May from 14th in April.
