Foreign direct investment in Bulgaria in the first 11 months of 2021 stood at EUR 1.28 billion, the equivalent of 1.9 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP), statistics from the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) showed on 18 January.
In the same period of 2020, FDI was EUR 2.39 billion, but the original amount reported by BNB last year was EUR 843.9 million, which was revised upward later.
Investment in equity, including in the real estate sector, recorded an inflow of EUR 15.9 million (compared to EUR 271.3 million in January-November 2020) and re-invested earnings amounted to EUR 1.35 billion, compared to EUR 832.7 million in the same period of 2020.
Net receipts from real estate investments by foreign companies recorded an outflow of EUR 7.5 million in the first 11 months of 2021, compared to an outflow of EUR 0.9 million during the same period of 2020.
The central bank data showed EUR 84.8 million in investment outflows as debt instruments, recorded as the change in the net liabilities of Bulgarian companies towards their foreign investor owners, compared to inflows of EUR 1.28 billion in the first 11 months of 2020. Such financial flows include financial loans, suppliers’ credits and debt securities, BNB said.
By country, the largest direct investment in Bulgaria in January-November 2021 came from Luxembourg (EUR 369.2 million), Germany (298.8 million euro) and Belgium (EUR 169.4 million). Notable net outflows were recorded towards Russia (-EUR 244.1 million) and Switzerland (-EUR 78.6 million).
According to preliminary figures, Bulgarian investment abroad increased by EUR 148.8 million in January-November, compared to EUR 181.6 million in the same period of 2020, BNB said.