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Poll: Foreign Debt Levels

Foreign ownership of U.S. Treasury securities rose to a record level in October, a sign that overseas investors remain confident in U.S. debt despite a potential budget crisis.

Total foreign holdings of U.S. Treasurys rose to $5.48 trillion in October, the Treasury Department said Monday. That was up 0.1 percent from September. Still, the increase of $6 billion was the weakest since total holdings fell in December 2011.

China, the largest holder of U.S. government debt, increased its holdings slightly to $1.16 trillion. Japan, the second-largest holder, boosted its holdings by a smaller amount to $1.13 trillion. Brazil, the country with the third-largest holdings, increased its total to $255.2 billion.

The new figures show that investors are still seeking the perceived safety of U.S. Treasurys, even as lawmakers and President Barack Obama remain at odds over whether to raise the U.S. borrowing limit as part of a broader budget deal.

After the last debt standoff, Standard & Poor's downgraded the government's credit rating on long-term securities one notch from the highest level of AAA to AA+. It was the first-ever downgrade of U.S. government debt.

Last month, Fitch Ratings said Obama will need to quickly reach a budget agreement with Congress over the "fiscal cliff" or risk losing Fitch's AAA rating on U.S. debt.

The fiscal cliff refers to the collection of tax increases and spending cuts set to take effect in January unless a deal is reached. Economists have warned that the U.S. economy would be pushed into a recession sometime next year if the fiscal cliff isn't averted.

Tonight in the Daily Pulse we're wondering: Are the record levels of American debt by foreign countries a cause for concern? Yes or no?