According to preliminary data, direct investment in Bulgaria stands at 3.807 bln euros (14.2% of GDP) for the Jan – Sept period this year, versus 2.985 bln euros (11.9% of GDP) last year.

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) amounts to 2.517 bln euros and accounts for 66.1% of all foreign investment in the country. This is 1.249 bln euros above last year's figures (1267.2 mln euros). Equity capital also includes proceeds from real estate sales to non0residents, which came to 1.256 bln euros, against 787.2 mln euros in the respective period 2006.

Attracted equity capital in privatization deals with non-residents, owning more than 10% in a Bulgarian enterprise, stood at 86.5 mln euros. Equity capital from other types of transactions amounts to 2.43 bln euros, versus 1.24 bln euros a year ago.

Other capital (the change in the net liabilities of the direct investment enterprises to the direct investor on financial loans, suppliers’ credits and debt securities) stood at 1.05 bln euros, compared with 1.511 bln euros for Jan – Sept 2006.

According to preliminary data, reinvested earnings (the share of non-residents in the undistributed earnings/ loss of the enterprise) totaled 240.9 mln euros for the period, compared with 207.2 mln euros a year ago.

By country, the largest investments in Bulgaria for the period came form Great Britain (15.4%), Austria (8.6%), and Belgium (8.5%).