FDI disbursement surpasses US$19 billion in 2018

Disbursed foreign direct investment (FDI) in Vietnam in 2018 hit US$19.1 billion, an increase of 9.1% over the previous year.

In the recent three years, the disbursed FDI reached over US$50 billion, according to a report by the Foreign Investment Department under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

By December 20, total foreign investment in Vietnam, including newly-registered and added capital and that for share purchase, was US$35.46 billion, or 98.8% of last year’s figure.

FDI commitment for 3,046 newly-licensed projects reached nearly US$18 billion, equivalent to 84.5% of the same period last year.

After a yearly decline of nearly 10% in FDI added to operating projects totaled at US$7.59 billion, the capital pledged for stake acquisitions rose by 60% year on year to US$9.89 billion, the report said.

As per the data, foreign-invested enterprises gained a trade surplus of US$32.8 billion this year as they exported US$175.5 billion worth of goods, up 13% while their imports hit US$142.7 billion, up 12%.

The manufacturing and processing sector garnered the most interest from foreign investors in the period, accounting for US$16.58 billion, or 47% of the registered capital.

The real estate sector ranked second with US$6.6 billion, or 18.5% and the retail sector came third with US$3.67 billion, or 10.3%.

Statistics showed that 112 countries and territories invested in Vietnam from January to December. Among them, Japan took the lead with US$8.59 billion, making up 24% of the nation’s total FDI. The Republic of Korea and Singapore were the runner-ups with US$7.2 billion and US$5 billion, making up 24.2% and 14.2% of the nation’s total FDI, respectively.

VNA