Palestinian Central Bureau of  Statistics & Palestine Monetary Authority

Foreign Investment Survey of Palestinian Enterprises, 2011.

 Stocks of Palestinian assets invested abroad are about USD 5,144 million.

while Stocks of foreign liabilities on the Palestinian economy are about USD 2,572 million

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) and the Palestine Monetary Authority (PMA) conducted the Foreign Investment Survey (FIS) of Palestinian enterprises in 2011.

The preliminary results of the FIS show that total external assets of Palestinian enterprises (stocks of Palestinian enterprises invested abroad) amounted to USD 5,144.0 million at the end of 2011. Direct investment abroad contributed 2.7%, portfolio investments abroad contributed 22.3%, other foreign investments contributed 65.3% (currency and deposits in banks abroad), and reserve assets 9.7%.   

The total foreign liabilities of Palestinian enterprises (stocks held by non-residents invested in Palestinian enterprises) amounted to USD 2,571.5 million at the end of 2011. Foreign Direct  Investment in Palestinian enterprises contributed 58.5%, Portfolio Investments in Palestinian enterprises reached 23.8%, and Other Investments in Palestinian enterprises amounted to 17.7%. 

The results show that nearly half of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Palestinian enterprises is concentrated in financial intermediation activity, while investment from Jordan contributed nearly 80.5% of total stock of FDI in Palestinian enterprises.

The results also show that nearly 61.0% of total portfolio investments in Palestinian enterprises is concentrated in services and transport, and storage and communications activities, while investments from Jordan contributed nearly 52.4% of the total stock of Portfolio investments in Palestinian enterprises.

The Balance of Payments Manual - fifth edition, issued by the International Monetary Fund in 1993, defines the investment stocks of residents in the Palestinian Territory (individuals and enterprises) invested abroad as assets, and the investment stocks owned by residents outside Palestinian enterprises (individuals and enterprises) invested in Palestinian enterprises as liabilities.

The Manual also divides the assets and liabilities into direct investment (investment by 10% and more in non-resident capital); portfolio investment (investment below 10% in the non-resident capital as well as investment in bonds); and other investments (divided into stocks of trade credit, loans, currency and deposits, and any other assets or liabilities). Reserve assets are defined as stocks held by the Monetary Authority to address the imbalances in the balance of payments. The reserve assets are only included as part of assets.