| Description | Net Foreign Purchases is the difference between gross purchases by foreigners of U.S. securities minus gross sales by foreigners of U.S. securities. A positive difference indicates net foreign purchases from U.S. residents (U.S. capital inflow: increase in the amount of money available from external or foreign sources for the purchase of local capital assets such buildings, land, machines); a negative difference indicates net foreign sales to U.S. residents (U.S. capital outflow: increase in the amount of money available from internal or local sources for the purchase of external or foreign capital assets such buildings, land, machines). |