Foreign direct investments plunge to 352 mln euros in H1 2020

Foreign direct investments in Romania in H1 2020 plunged to 352 million euros from 2.697 billion euros in the similar period of the year before, the National Bank of Romania (BNR) said in a release this Thursday.

Non-residents' equity (including the estimated net reinvestment of earnings) amounted to 160 million euros, and intercompany lending stood at 192 million euro net, the document states.

The number of newly set up companies running on foreign capital in Romania fell by 41.41 pct in the first six months of 2020 compared to the same period of 2019, to just 1,674 entities with a paid-up capital of 3.841 million US dollars, down 55.6 percent YoY, shows data with the National Trade Register Office.

In the ranking by the investors' country of residence, Italy holds the leading position with 3.846 bln dollars in equity and 49,168 companies, but the Netherlands is on top by the amount of equity, with 12.749 bln dollars and 5,462 companies.

As many as 228 companies with foreign participation were registered this June, with a paid-up capital of 1.41 million US dollars.

By activity sectors most newly registered companies were in wholesale and retail trade, car and motorcycle repairs - 31.14 pct of the total, professional, administrative, scientific and technical activities (23.25 pt) and transport, warehousing and communications (12.71 pct).

There were 228,566 companies running on foreign capital in Romania as of end-June, with a paid-up capital of 63.802 billion US dollars.