ANALYSIS AND COMMENTS


INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT POSITION

Australia’s net international investment position at 31 December 2008 was a liability of $713.8 billion, an increase of $58.7 billion on the previous year.


Level of foreign investment in Australia

The level of foreign investment in Australia increased by $66.9 billion to reach $1,724.4 billion at 31 December 2008. Portfolio investment accounted for $921.2 billion (53%), direct investment for $392.9 billion (23%), other investment liabilities for $302.6 billion (18%) and financial derivatives for $107.8 billion (6%). Of the portfolio investment liabilities, debt securities accounted for $689.1 billion (40%) and equity securities for $232.1 billion (13%).

The leading investor countries at 31 December 2008 were:

• United Kingdom ($427.1 billion or 25%)
• United States of America ($418.4 billion or 24%)
• Japan ($89.5 billion or 5%)
• Hong Kong (SAR of China) ($56.3 billion or 3%)
• Singapore ($43.1 billion or 2%)
• Switzerland ($38.1 billion or 2%)

In addition, the level of borrowing raised on international capital markets (e.g. Eurobonds) was $145.3 billion or 8%.

The following graph illustrates the percentage share, by leading countries, of the total level of foreign investment in Australia at 31 December 2008.

Level of Australian investment abroad

The level of Australian investment abroad reached $1010.6 billion at 31 December 2008, an increase of $8.2 billion on the previous year. Portfolio investment abroad accounted for $373.1 billion (37%), direct investment for $281.1 billion (28%), other investment for $196.1 billion (19%), reserve assets for $47.5 billion (5%) and financial derivatives for $112.9 billion (11%).

The leading destination countries as at 31 December 2008 were:

• United States of America ($394.6 billion or 39%)
• United Kingdom ($158.1 billion or 16%)
• New Zealand ($66.1 billion or 7%)
• Canada ($38.8 billion or 4%
• France ($35.4 billion or 4%).
• Netherlands ($30.0 billion or 3%)

The following graph illustrates the percentage share, by leading countries, of the total level of Australian investment abroad at 31 December 2008.

FINANCIAL ACCOUNT TRANSACTIONS

The balance on financial account for the year ended 31 December 2008 recorded a net inflow (surplus) of $48.2 billion. This result is down $17.7 billion on the net inflow of $65.9 billion recorded for the previous year.


Foreign investment in Australia - Transactions

Foreign investment in Australia recorded a net inflow of $149.0 billion for the year ended 31 December 2008, a decrease of $11.0 billion on the net inflow of $160.0 billion for the previous year.

The leading investor countries were:

• United State of America ($27.0 billion or 28%)
• United Kingdom ($25.9 billion or 17%)
• Japan ($20.3 billion or 14%)
• Germany ($14.6 billion or 10%)
• Hong Kong ($11.4 billion or 8%)
• Switzerland ($8.8 billion or 6%).

The following graph illustrates the percentage share, by leading countries, of total financial transactions for foreign investment in Australian during the year ended 31 December 2008.

Australian investment abroad - Transactions

Australian investment abroad recorded a net outflow of $100.8 billion for the year ended 31 December 2008, an increase of $6.6 billion on the net outflow of $94.1 billion for the previous year.

The leading destination countries were:

• United States of America ($53.3 billion or 53%)
• New Zealand ($14.5 billion or 14%)
• Singapore ($8.0 billion or 8%)
• United Kingdom ($7.4 billion or 7%)
• Canada ($5.7 billion or 6%)
• Luxembourg ($3.6 billion or 4%)

The country from which the largest amount of Australian investment was withdrawn in 2008 was:

• Germany ($4.4 billion or -4%)

The following graph illustrates the percentage share, by leading countries, of total financial transactions for Australian investment abroad during the year ended 31 December 2008.

INCOME

Income debits totalled $86.7 billion for the year ended 31 December 2008. This result is up $1.2 billion on the income debits in the previous year. The main countries to which income accrued for the year ended 31 December 2008 were:

• United States of America ($18.3 billion or 21%)
• United Kingdom ($13.9 billion or 16%)
• Japan ($7.4 billion or 9%)
• Switzerland ($5.6 billion or 7%)
• Netherlands ($3.2 billion or 4%)
• Hong Kong ($1.7 billion or 2%)

Income credits totalled $41.8 billion for the year ended 31 December 2008. This result is up $3.5 billion on the income credits in the previous year. The main countries from which income accrued for the year ended 31 December 2008 were:

• United States of America ($14.7 billion or 35%)
• New Zealand ($4.4 billion or 10%)
• United Kingdom ($4.1 billion or 10%)
• Canada ($3.8 billion or 9%)
• Netherlands ($1.5 billion or 4%).