Caitong Securities(SH:601108) 陈兴宏观研究·2025-06-26 01:33Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the increasing levels of U.S. debt driven by the potential passage of the "Beautiful Act" and the rising net deficit, which is expected to continue elevating U.S. debt levels over the next decade. It highlights the key holders of long-term U.S. Treasury bonds and their respective investment rationales. Group 1: Who Holds Long-Term U.S. Treasuries? - Foreign investors are the largest holders of U.S. Treasuries, followed by the Federal Reserve. As of Q1 this year, total U.S. Treasury holdings amount to approximately $26.9 trillion, with foreign investors holding about $9 trillion, accounting for roughly 33% of the total [1][4][10]. - The Federal Reserve's holdings peaked at over 26% during the QE period in 2021 but have since decreased to about 14% due to ongoing balance sheet reduction [4][10]. - Post-pandemic, U.S. households and non-profit institutions, including hedge funds, have significantly increased their Treasury holdings, rising from around 3% in 2021 to the current 11% [4][5]. Group 2: U.S. Investors' Rationale for Buying Treasuries - The Federal Reserve holds Treasuries for balance sheet management and is currently in a process of reducing its holdings, which have decreased from $5 trillion in May 2022 to $3.6 trillion in May this year [13][14]. - U.S. commercial banks buy Treasuries to meet liquidity regulations, particularly when the yield curve steepens, but their holdings are limited by supplementary leverage ratio (SLR) constraints [14][19]. - Pension funds and insurance companies invest in Treasuries primarily for asset-liability management, although their overall allocation to Treasuries remains relatively low [16][19]. - Households tend to invest in Treasuries for higher yields, especially when stock market returns decline relative to bond market returns, while also considering safety, liquidity, and inflation protection [19][20]. Group 3: Overseas Investors' Rationale for Buying Treasuries - Overseas investors view U.S. Treasuries as safe and stable investments, supported by the U.S. government's creditworthiness and the market's depth and breadth [22][24]. - Official foreign institutions hold Treasuries for foreign exchange reserve management and to ensure asset safety, as Treasuries are among the safest and most liquid assets globally [24][26]. - Some foreign official institutions, like Japan, have sold Treasuries to manage currency exchange rates, intervening in the market to stabilize their currencies [26][29]. - Non-official foreign investors may purchase Treasuries to hedge against currency risks, often using cross-currency swaps to manage their exposure [29].