KARACHI: The foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country increased by just 2 per cent year-on-year to $624 million during July-December 2015.
Chinese investment reached $400m during the corresponding period as compared with the last year’s just $180m. The details showed that the inflow of FDI drastically reduced to $1b during the six-month period under review from $1.78b a year ago. However, the low outflow helped the country to retain $624m.
According to the State Bank of Pakistan report, the overall foreign private investment fell by 49pc to $385m due to negative (outflow) figure of portfolio investment. The portfolio investment during July-December 205 was minus $373m.
The US and the UK have changed their minds this year. In fact, the US emerged as a country which was willing to disinvest instead of investing in Pakistan. It disinvested $94m compared to $112m investment during the same period of last year.
Other major investors were the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and Italy as their six-month investments were $86m, $73m and $54m, respectively.
