Foreign investments in Catalonia in 2016 reach €4.8 billion
Foreign investment in Catalonia throughout 2016 totaled €4.8billion, 1.3% less than in 2015. Indeed, 2015 had set a historic record in terms of foreign investment, registering a 57.8% growth in comparison to the previous year. Despite this slight decrease, 2016 represents the second best year in the historic series, according to data published this Tuesday by the Spanish Ministry for Economy, Industry and Competitiveness. Moreover, Catalonia ranks second in terms of foreign investment in Spain, Accounting for 20% of the investment and only surpassed by Madrid, which attracts 46.7% of foreign capital. Regarding Catalan exports, they totaled €5.3 billion in January, the highest figure for this month since 2000. This data confirms Catalonia as the leading territory in Spain in terms of exports followed by Andalusia, whose exports totaled €2.5 billion.
Madrid (CNA).- 2016 marked the second best year in the historic series in terms of foreign investment in Catalonia, totaling €4.8 billion. This figure is 1.3% lower than that registered in 2015, when foreign investment saw a historic 57.8% growth in comparison to the previous year. Thus, the figures released this Tuesday by the Spanish Ministry for Economy prove that Catalonia’s pro-independence aspirations haven’t adversely affected foreign investment, on the contrary; foreign companies have invested 32% more in Catalonia between 2012 and 2016 than in the previous years. “Catalan economy is competitive on an international scale,” proclaimed Catalan Minister for Business, Jordi Baiget, adding that those comments referring to the negative effects of Catalonia’s independence process on foreign investment “have proved to be totally false”. Regarding Catalan exports, they totaled €5.3 billion in January, the highest figure for this month since 2000.
According to data published this Tuesday by Spanish Ministry for Economy, Industry and Competitiveness, Catalonia ranks second in terms of foreign investment in Spain, accounting for 20% of the investment and is only surpassed by Madrid, which attracted 46.7% of the foreign capital in 2016.
The main investing companies in Spain in 2016 were from the United States, totaling €4.9 billion, a figure which represents a 126% increase in comparison to 2015 and 21.2% of the total volume. Luxembourg ranked second (€2.4 billion), followed by the Netherlands (€2.23 billion) and Germany (€2.21 billion).
Thus, OCDE countries accounted for 85% of foreign investment, while that coming from the EU dropped by 21%.
Most of the foreign investment was oriented to electricity and gas supplier companies (17.3%), followed by the real state sector (13.7%) and financial services (7.8%).
Spanish investment abroad
Spanish investment abroad totaled €33.7 billion in 2016, 23% less than in the previous year and the main target country was the United Kingdom, accounting for 37% of the total investing and totaling €8.6 billion. The Unites Stated ranked second, totaling €2.3 billion and seeing an 80% decline in comparison to 2015. Spanish investment to the Netherlands reached €2 billion, seeing the highest increase (195%) in comparison with the previous year.
In general terms, Spanish investment in the EU grew while that oriented to Latin America and the OCDE countries decreased.
Catalan exports set a new record
Regarding Catalan exports, they totaled €5.3 billion in January, the highest figure for this month since 2000. This data confirms Catalonia as the leading territory in Spain in terms of exports followed by Andalusia, whose exports totaled €2.5 billion.
The chemical sector continues to lead the exportation ranking, totaling €1.4 billion in January, 8.4% more than in the same period last year. Exports from equipment goods’ companies accounted for €910 million and the automotive sector’s exports were €825 worth.
Catalan imports in January grew by 13.5% in comparison to 2015, totaling €6.6 million.