FDI down by 42.9 %

Romania's economy is one of the region's least attractive for foreign investors, ranking 8th among the 11th countries included in the table. In mid-2008 Romania was 4th in that table, ranking behind Poland, Russia and Bulgaria.

According to the National Bank of Romania (BNR), in Q1 the FDI stood at EUR 2.894 bln, down by 42.9 per cent compared to the EUR 5.076 bln level registered in the same period in 2008, Mediafax informs.

Of the total investments registered in the first six months, the capital participations represented 40.9 per cent, the intra-group credits 49.7 per cent and the reinvested profit 9.4 per cent, a BNR communiqué shows. The FDI registered in January - June fully covered the EUR 2.375 bln current account deficit registered in that period. At the end of May the FDI stood at EUR 2.475 bln, down by over 42 per cent compared to the EUR 4.269 bln level registered in the same period last year.

Last year the FDI stood at EUR 9.02 bln, up by 24.5 per cent compared to 2007 and it covered 53.5 per cent of the current account deficit that stood at EUR 16.87 bln.