America is a magnet for the world's money.

America's "international investment position," or how much the value of foreign investments in the U.S. surpass American investments abroad, rose to $4.4T in 2012 from $4T in 2011. During Q2 and Q3, the gap reached $4.7T, the highest since records began in 1976. While the trend suggests the U.S. is still an attractive place to put money despite the country's weak growth, it also makes the economy more vulnerable to external shocks.