Foreign direct investment stock statistics provide information on capital links arising from residents’ participating interest in a foreign enterprise or those of non-residents in a German enterprise at the end of the year. The data are based on information from the reporting agents’ balance sheets.

The international investment position provides quarterly stock statistics. The figures are initially estimated at the current end and are subsequently compared with the annual stock statistics.

Domestic direct investment abroad

 

Germany’s outward primary and secondary foreign direct investment (FDI) was up by €120 billion at the end of 2021 to €1,426 billion. Almost 29%, or €409 billion worth, of all German FDI went to the United States, which was once again number one.

The chart below portrays the links between German and foreign economic sectors arising from primary and secondary German FDI. It shows that many German enterprises, such as monetary intermediation, computer programming, consultancy and related activities and the manufacture of chemicals as well as motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers, primarily invest in their own sector abroad. By contrast, investment by domestic holding companies with and without a management function is more diversified. Although these companies invest in their own sectors, too, they also maintain direct investment relationships with other major sectors abroad.

Foreign direct investment in the reporting country

At the end of 2021, primary and secondary inward FDI into Germany totalled €615 billion, with the lion’s share coming from European countries. Accounting for a share of 78%, Europe was even more strongly represented as a source of inward FDI than as a recipient of German outward FDI.