Pimco expands stake in Colombian sovereign debt as foreign investors pull back

Asset manager Pimco increased its position in Colombia’s Treasury securities, becoming the largest foreign holder with $43.45 billion in bonds, equal to 29 % of the foreign‑owned portion and 5.7 % of total issuance. In May alone the firm bought $6.97 billion of Treasury bonds, bringing its cumulative 2026 purchases to $18.51 billion, a 74 % rise from the previous year.

At the same time, other foreign participants reduced exposure. The Norwegian Central Bank led the sell‑off in May, offloading $1.43 billion and cutting its monthly portfolio by 81 %, leaving a remaining $2.98 billion. Canada’s CDPQ pension fund sold $1.03 billion, a 46 % monthly drop, while T. Rowe Price, Citibank, J.P. Morgan, Santander and BBVA also recorded large divestments. After accounting for the prepayment of Total Return Swaps, foreign investors’ net purchases in May amounted to $6.9 billion, though overall foreign holdings fell 8.7 % year‑to‑date, from $164.1 billion to $149.92 billion.