Last Thursday the Kuwait Investment Authority, the world's sixth-biggest sovereign wealth fund, received a call from the US embassy to reassure them that bonds issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were sound, according to one person with knowledge of the matter. The call came after Kuwait's minister of finance announced that the KIA was not planning to invest in their debt in future.

The Treasury was unable to comment on the specific episode but said US officials had been in contact with other governments throughout the market turmoil as part of their regular responsibilities.