FDI reaches EUR 9.8 bln in 2008, manufacturing and finance get bulk of capital

The foreign direct investments to Romania last year reached EUR 9.5 billion, half of which were net participation of foreign investors to the social capital of local companies, according to a recent statistics published by the Romanian central Bank (BNR). The remainder of the FDI was fueled by loans received by local companies from firms withing the foreign investor’s group. Most of the FDI went to manufacturing, with 31.3 percent of the total FDI, out of which metallurgy, the food, beverage and tobacco industries were higher up in terms of coverage, with 6.9 percent and 4.6 percent respectively. The textile industry attracted only 1.6 percent of the FDI. Financial intermediation and banking activities received 20.5 percent of FDI, while real estate transactions received 12.6 percent, retail, 12.4 percent and IT&C, 6.7 percent.

Austria was the main source of foreign capital, followed by the Netherlands, Germany, France and Italy. Greenfield investments covered only 1.2 percent followed by mergers and acquisitions, with 32 percent. The bulk was made of investments in firm development, with 66.8 percent.
Corina Saceanu