Inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) dipped 19.90% in the first seven months of 2014 year-on-year to US$9.53 billion, according to) the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Foreign Investment Agency (FIA).

The FIA reported that as of July 20, FDI firm’s total disbursements were estimated at US$6.8 billion. They generated an export turnover of US$55.83 billion and incurred around US$46.04 in imports, resulting in a trade surplus of US$9.78 billion.

In the reviewed period, as many as 889 FDI projects were licensed with total registered capital of US$6.85 billion. About 300 projects increased their investment by US$2.67 billion.

The processing and manufacturing industries took the lead in FDI attraction with 448 newly-licensed projects, followed by the real estate and construction sectors.

At present, 46 countries and territories are investing in Vietnam, with the Republic of Korea ranking first in terms of total registered investment (around US$3.13), accounting for 32.8% of the country’s FDI inflows.

They are operating companies in 45 provinces and cities across the country, and many are keen on northern Bac Ninh province that led the country in FDI attraction with US$1.33 billion.

Source VOV/ http://www.vir.com.vn