Global demand for long-term U.S. financial assets strengthened in March to a record as investors from China to the United Kingdom purchased the most Treasury securities since November, according to a U.S. Treasury Department report.

Net buying of equities, notes and bonds totaled $140.5 billion in March, more than double economists’ projections, after net buying of $47.1 billion in February, Bloomberg reported after the report was released today. Including short-term securities such as stock swaps, investors abroad purchased a net $10.5 billion, compared with net buying of $9.7 billion the previous month.

Signs of a sustained economic recovery, including a rebound in earnings and stock prices, may increase demand for U.S. investments as concerns mount about the sustainability of government debt in Europe, economists told Bloomberg.

“There was some concern foreigners were abandoning the U.S. currency. That fear was misplaced,” said Paul Christopher, senior international investment strategist at Wells Fargo Advisors LLC in St. Louis.

China remained the biggest foreign holder of U.S. Treasuries after its holdings rose by $17.7 billion to $895.2 billion in March, the first increase since September in its holdings and biggest jump in percentage terms since July.

Japan, the second-largest holder, increased its holdings by $16.4 billion to $784.9 billion in March. Holdings in the United Kingdom gained $45.5 billion to $279 billion, the fifth straight monthly increase.

Total foreign purchases of Treasury notes and bonds were $108.5 billion in March, compared with $48.1 billion in February.

Foreign demand for U.S. agency debt from companies such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac registered net buying of $22 billion in March, the biggest gain since June 2008.