The processing and manufacturing sector took the lead in attracting foreign investment in the first three months to March 20, absorbing over 5 billion USD, or 49.6 percent, announced the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) at the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

The processing and manufacturing sector took the lead in attracting foreign
investment in the first three months to March 20, absorbing over
5 billion USD, or 49.6 percent (Illustrative photo: VNA)

The processing and manufacturing sector took the lead in attracting foreign investment in the first three months to March 20, absorbing over 5 billion USD, or 49.6 percent, announced the Foreign Investment Agency (FIA) at the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

Power production and distribution came second with 3.9 billion USD (38.9 percent), followed by real estate with 600 million USD, and science-technology nearly 167 million USD.

Statistics of the FIA showed that foreign investors pumped 10.13 billion USD in 17 sectors in the three-month period, a year-on-year increase of 18.5 percent.

Investment licences were granted to 234 new projects with total registered capital of 7.2 billion USD, rising 30.6 percent against the same period last year.

Meanwhile, 161 existing projects added 2.1 billion USD to their investment capital, a surge of 97.4 percent compared to the same time last year.

On the contrary, capital contributions and shares purchases by foreign investors were down 58.8 percent to stand at 805.3 million USD./.