American investors are buying U.S. Treasury securities at a faster pace than foreigners for the first time since 2010, aiding the government in its efforts to borrow as total public debt outstanding rises above $16 trillion, Bloomberg reported.

Government debt securities held by domestic buyers, excluding the Federal Reserve, rose 10.7 percent in the first seven months of this year to $3.61 trillion, compared with a 6.9 percent increase for buyers in countries from China to Germany, according to the latest data available from the Treasury Department and compiled by Bloomberg.

Foreign purchases grew 13 percent last year, while U.S. holdings fell 4.6 percent. Click here to read the full story.