Palestinian investments abroad surpass foreign investment in Palestine by $1.7bn

Israeli currency (File)

Middle East Monitor  /  November 18, 2020

The total foreign direct investment in resident enterprises in Palestine amounted to $1,732 million at the end of 2019, a survey issued yesterday found.

According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) and the Palestine Monetary Authority (PMA), Palestinian investments abroad surpassed foreign investment in Palestine by $1.7bn.

The total investment stock abroad of resident enterprises in Palestine (assets) amounted to $7,102 million at the end of 2019, of which 63.9 per cent is a foreign currency in these enterprises and deposits in banks abroad.

In addition, the total foreign investment stock in resident enterprises in Palestine (liabilities) amounted to $3,189 million at the end of 2019, of which 54.3 per cent is foreign direct investment.

The survey showed that 64.3 per cent of foreign direct investments (FDI) in resident enterprises in Palestine is concentrated in the financial intermediation activity.

Meanwhile, the survey found, the investments from Jordan contributed 82.6 per cent of the total stock of FDI in resident enterprises in Palestine.

The survey also found that 59.8 per cent of total portfolio investments in resident enterprises in Palestine are concentrated in the financial intermediation activity.

However, the investments from Jordan contributed 51.2 per cent of the total stock of portfolio investments in resident enterprises in Palestine.