-->es ist ja so knapp *LOL*


By Cheryl Winokur Munk
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Foreign acquisitions of U.S. stocks and bonds jumped to $386.6 billion during the first six months of 2003, on pace to exceed last year's record, according to the Securities Industry Association.

At an annualized pace of $773.2 billion, 2003's full-year total would push past last year's record of $548.9 billion by more than 41%, Wall Street's trade group said.

The SIA in July reported figures through May.

Foreign investor purchases of U.S. bonds accounted for $368.3 billion in the first half of the year, or 26% of the total net borrowing in the entire U.S. economy.

Foreign acquisitions of U.S. securities totaled a record $247.8 billion in the second quarter, surpassing by 50.5% the previous quarterly best of $164.6 billion in the fourth quarter of 2001. Foreign net purchases of U.S. Treasurys, agencies and corporate bonds all reached quarterly records in the second quarter.

Stocks have also come more into favor. Net purchases totaled $21.3 billion in the second quarter, the largest quarterly net purchase posture since the fourth quarter of 2001.

-By Cheryl Winokur Munk, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-2123; cheryl.munk@dowjones.com