Тhe Foreign direct investment in Bulgaria for January - July 2009 amounted to EUR 1,881.4 million (5.6% of GDP) compared to EUR 3,954.1 million (11.6% of GDP) attracted in January - July 2008. preliminary data of the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) show.

The attracted Equity Capital (acquisition/disposal of shares and equities in cash and contributions in kind by non-residents in/from the capital and reserves of Bulgarian enterprises and receipts/payments from/for real estate deals in the country) for January - July 2009 amounted to EUR 1,453.1 million, which was 77.2% of the foreign direct investment. It decreased by EUR 603.6 million compared to that attracted in the same period of 2008 (EUR 2,056.8 million, 52% of total foreign direct investment). The receipts from real estate investments of non-residents amounted to EUR 352.3 million compared to EUR 863.9 million for January - July 2008.

The other capital, net (the change in the net liabilities of the direct investment enterprise to the direct investor on financial loans, suppliers' credits and debt securities) was positive, amounting to EUR 208.1 million in January - July 2009, compared to a net other capital amounting to EUR 1,566 million in the same period of 2008.

According to preliminary data, the Reinvested Earnings2 (the share of non-residents in the undistributed earnings/ loss of the enterprise) in January - July 2009 are estimated at EUR 220.1 million compared to EUR 331.3 million in the same period of 2008.

By country, the largest investments in Bulgaria for the reporting period were those of the Netherlands (26.2% of the total foreign direct investment), Romania (13.3%) and Austria (12%).

According to preliminary data in January - July 2009 Direct investment abroad increased by EUR 50.2 million compared to an increase of EUR 491.3 million in January - July 2008. The equity capital invested abroad in January - July 2009 amounted to EUR 37.2 million, compared to EUR 452.9 million in January - July 2008.