12 This advantage is due, in roughly equal parts, to the composition of the assets and the differing profitability of comparable items. A prominent role is played by the high profitability of US FDI.
With regard to the sustainability of the US foreign trade position, however, that is precisely what raises doubts about the stability and reliability of the flow of income stemming from the yield advantage. Last year, net investment income amounted to no more than $ billion, for example.