KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s net international investment position for the first quarter 2016 (1Q16) recorded a lower net assets position of RM10.9 billion from RM110.3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2015 (4Q15), said the Department of Statistics in a statement yesterday.
It said Malaysian-owned assets abroad decreased by RM111 billion to RM1,555.6 billion, while foreign-owned assets in Malaysia declined by RM11.6 billion to RM1,544.7 billion.
Direct investment registered a net assets position of RM31.1 billion at the end of 1Q16, down RM51.5 billion from Dec 31, 2015.
Direct Investment Abroad (DIA) stock stood at RM528.8 billion at the end of 1Q16 (4Q15: RM587.5 billion), generated mainly in the financial & insurance sector (31.1 per cent) followed by the mining sector (26.1 per cent) and information & communications sector (9.1 per cent).
The top three DIA destinations were Singapore, Indonesia and Canada.
Meanwhile, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) stock in Malaysia accounted for RM497.7 billion at the end of March 2016 (4Q15: RM504.9 billion).
The manufacturing sector remained the highest FDI recipient at 42.9 per cent, followed by the financial & insurance sector (22.1 per cent) and information & communications sector (9.2 per cent), with the top three investing countries for FDI being Singapore, Japan and the Netherlands.
At the end of 1Q16, portfolio investment showed a net liabilities position of RM355.9 billion from net liabilities of RM326.6 billion previously.
The level of portfolio investment assets stood at RM279.6 billion, with the total stock value of portfolio investment liabilities at RM635.5 billion.
The position of other investments at the end of March 2016 recorded net liabilities of RM47.5 billion, while the position of other investment assets in 1Q16 accumulated to RM269.6 billion and the position of other investment liabilities accounted for RM317.1 billion.
The international reserves of Bank Negara Malaysia decreased to RM381.5 billion at the end of March 2016 from RM409.1 billion recorded in 4Q15. — Bernama