As at the end of the year 2015, the Maltese economy recorded an increase of €0.94 billion in net International Investment Position (IIP) over the position prevailing as at December 2014, the NSO said today.

As at December 2015, total foreign assets increased by €1.07 billion over the position prevailing as at December 2014. Total foreign liabilities rose by €0.14 billion during the corresponding period, resulting in an overall increase in the net IIP of €0.94 billion.

The level of Malta’s total foreign assets abroad amounted to €223.23 billion as at the end of December 2015. Portfolio Investment and Other Investment accounted for 46.6 per cent and 19.6 per cent respectively, of the total foreign assets. The increase in Malta’s foreign assets was characterised mainly by an increase of €7.23 billion in Equity and investment fund shares under Portfolio Investment. A decline of €0.93 billion was registered in Other Investment, mainly due to a fall in short term loans relating to Other MFIs. At the end of December 2015, Malta’s foreign liabilities were estimated at €218.75 billion.

At €164.33 billion, Direct Investment accounted for 75.1 per cent of total foreign liabilities, up from €156.64 billion recorded in December 2014. Other Investment, representing 22.8 per cent of total foreign liabilities, stood at €49.91 billion as against €56.67 billion a year earlier.