Dissemination practice and revision cycle

Transaction values

The Bundesbank publishes the monthly foreign direct investment transactions in the Statistical Series Balance of payments statistics as well as once in a year in the Statistical Series Direct investment statistics. Furthermore, data on direct investment transactions during the previous four years are broken down by region and economic sector and released in the Statistical Series Direct investment statistics.

When publishing the preliminary direct investment transactions for a given reporting month, the corresponding data for the previous month are revised. Annual revisions for the previous reporting year and the three preceding years are made in the March Monthly Report. In the retrospective monthly and annual revisions, particular consideration is given to late and correction reports.

Foreign direct investment transactions are published in the following formats:

  • Time series databases;
  • Tables;
  • Press release;
  • Monthly Report;
  • Statistical Series Direct investment statistics;
  • Statistical Series Balance of payments statistics.

Stock data

Data on international capital links are available in Statistical Series Direct investment statistics which is published every spring (usually in April). Each issue contains data for the last year but one as well as for the three years before that. According to the revision practice, the results for the most recent reporting date should be considered provisional.

The stock statistics on foreign direct investment are published in the following formats:

  • Time series databases;
  • Tables;
  • Press release;
  • Monthly Report;
  • Statistical Series Direct investment statistics;
  • Statistical Series Balance of payments statistics.

Foreign affiliates statistics (FATS)

A detailed breakdown of outward FATS data by country and economic sector has been published since 2008. Statistics on the structure and activity of foreign affiliates of German investors are published every November and contain data for the last year but one and the three years before that (see tables).

The results for the most recent reporting date should be considered provisional.