BNR Revises Down 2009 FDI To EUR3.5B

11.08.2010 ZF English

Romania’s central bank Monday revised downward foreign direct investment data for 2009 to EUR3.5 billion, from EUR4.9 billion previously, after subtracting the net loss out of the equity increases.

The new FDI figure in 63% lower compared with EUR9.5 billion in 2008.

The revision is largely due to factoring in a net loss of EUR1.39 billion out of capital and reserve increases amounting to EUR3.12 billion, according to a joint survey of the central bank and the statistics institute. Net credit from foreign investors totaled EUR1.76 billion in 2009.

Overall FDI stock stood at nearly EUR50 billion at the end of 2009, the survey noted.

Equity stakes, including reinvested earnings, were at EUR35.6 billion (71.2% of net FDI final stock), while total net credit received from foreign investors, intra-group included, reached EUR14.4 billion (28.8% of net FDI final stock).

Broken down by economic activities, 31.1% of the total FDI stock was recorded in the manufacturing industry, while another chunk of 19% went to financial intermediation and insurance sector.

Construction and real estate covered 12.9% of the total FDI stock at the end of 2009, while trade and informational and communications sectors accounted for 12.3% and 6.5% of the stock, respectively.

The Netherlands was the largest foreign investor in Romania, with total investments reaching 21.4% of the total FDI stock in 2009.

Austria followed on the second spot, with investments amounting to 18.1% of the total FDI last year, followed by Germany, whose contribution was at 13.4% of the FDI stock.