The total volume of foreign investments in Oman amounted to RO 16,232bn (sixteen billion and two hundred thirty two million) by the end of 2017, compared to an amount of RO (15 billion, 420 million, 800 thousand) by the end of 2016; representing a 5.9% increase and a 60% of the Sultanate`s Grosse Domestic Product (GDP), according to the data generated from the Foreign Investments Survey conducted by the (NCSI).
The Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) formed a 56.4% of the total volume of the foreign investments by RO 9,201,1bn compared to RO 8 billion, 97 million 100 and 100 thousand) in 2016; or a 13.9% increase. As a percentage of GDP, the FDI represented an increase from 31, 9% by the end of 2016 to 33.8% by the end of 2017. At the same time, the final dividend volume amounted to 731,5m (seven hundred thirty one million five hundred thousand) and the volume of funds reinvested amounted to 136,9m (one hundred thirty six million nine hundred thousand). By the end of 2017, FDI generated franked income of RO 2,43,9bn (two billion and forty three million nine hundred thousand), made a total volume of funds flows of 902,200.000, and provided employment opportunities to 266,149 people with a total salaries amount of RO 2,354,100.000. According to the findings of the survey, the FDI in investment portfolios amounted to RO 793,1m (seven hundred ninety three million one hundred thousand); or a decrease of 11.8% with funds flows of RO 106,2m (one hundred six million two hundred thousand), in derivative market RO 33,8m representing a 46, 6% decrease with funds flows of RO 29,5m and in commercial lending, loans and deposits RO 6,295m with a 1.3% decrease and funds flows of RO 84,1m. At the level of economic sectors, oil and gas seized a total of 37,5% of the FDI in 2017 (4 billion, 905 million and 300 thousand), followed by financial intermediaries ( excluding investment funds, development banks, retiring funds) by 29,4% (RO 2 billion, 474 million, 8 thousand, manufacturing by 17,6% (RO 2,134,100.000), real estates and other related activities of telecommunication and transport by 3.8% (RO 638,9m) (six hundred thirty eight million nine hundred thousand), trade by 2,4% (RO 279,4m) (two hundred seventy nine million four hundred thousand), construction by 1, 5% (RO 164,2m) (one hundred sixty four million two hundred thousand), hotels and restaurants by 1.2% (RO 152,6m) (one hundred fifty two million six hundred thousand), other activities by 0, 6% (RO 98,1m) (ninety eight million one hundred thousand), and power by 1,6%( RO 82,9m) (eight two million nine hundred thousand),
By the end of 2017, the United Kingdom of Britain was the main source of FDI in Oman by 46, 5% or RO 4,274,2bn (four billion two hundred seventy four million two hundred thousand), followed by UAE by 10,9% (OR 1,006,8bn)( one billion six million eight hundred thousand), USA by 7,3% (RO 667,5m) (six hundred sixty seven million five hundred thousand), Kuwait by 4,7% (RO 430,7m) (four hundred thirty million seven hundred thousand), Qatar by 4,2% (RO 386,1m) (three hundred eighty six million one hundred thousand), Bahrain by 3,1% (RO 281,2m) (two hundred eighty one million two hundred thousand), Switzerland by 2,7%, India by 2,5%, Netherlands by 2,5%, and other countries by 15,6%. According to the economic activities and the country of origin, the United Kingdom topped the FDI in oil, followed by USA and China. The UAE ranked in first place in terms of the foreign investments pumped into financial intermediation, industry, manufacturing and trade. Kuwait came first in real estate, commercial activities, and hotels and restaurants. Netherlands ranked first in transportation and storage, India in construction and Saudi Arabia in other activities. The Omani investments abroad amounted to 6,447,8bn (six billion four hundred forty seven million eight hundred thousand) by the end of 2017 compared to 6,507,4bn (six billion five hundred seven million four hundred thousand) by the end of 2016 which represented a decrease of 1%. The Omani investments in portfolio were the highest at 28, 7% of the total volume by the end of 2017, while the direct investments represented 28, 4%, investments in financial 0,3%, and other investments 42,6%.
UAE was the preferred destination of the Omani investments abroad by RO 422,8m (four hundred twenty two million eight hundred thousand), in 2017, followed by Saudi Arabia by RO 110,8m (one hundred ten million eight hundred thousand), India by RO 78,9m (seventy eight million nine hundred thousand), United Kingdom and Kuwait by RO 29,8m (twenty nine million eight hundred thousand) for each; Egypt by RO 22m (twenty two million); and Bahrain by RO 11,3m (eleven million three hundred thousand). (Ends)
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