Foreign direct investment falls 4% in first quarter

KARACHI: The inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) into Pakistan have declined 4 per cent during the first quarter of the current fiscal year, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reported on Monday.

The central bank issued a summary of foreign investment in Pakistan during July–September of the current fiscal year, which showed that the foreign direct investment fell 4 per cent to $439 million during the first quarter of the current fiscal year, compared with $457.6 million in the corresponding quarter of the last fiscal year.

The total foreign private investment declined 3 per cent to $339 million during July–September of the current fiscal year, compared with $349 million during the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.

The portfolio investment in the stock market witnessed a decline in outflows during the period under review. The capital market recorded an outflow of $100 million during July–September 2021/22, compared with the outflows of $108.5 million in the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.

The State Bank received $980 million as debt securities during the first quarter of the current fiscal year, compared with an outflow of $37.4 in the same period of the last fiscal year.