Swedish direct investment assets abroad total SEK 593 billion

At the end of 1997 Swedish direct investment assets abroad were worth a total of SEK 593 billion. Assets located in the OECD area made up 92 per cent of the total, while assets in emerging-market regions added up to SEK 44 billion or 7 per cent of the total. Foreign direct investment assets in Sweden at end 1997 totalled SEK 329 billion.

These figures come from the Riksbank's annual direct investment survey, which is being published in Swedish today.

The survey also measures the return on the direct investment assets, defined as the companies' profits. In 1997 the returns on the Swedish assets abroad totalled SEK 53 billion and the returns on the foreign assets in Sweden totalled SEK 27 billion. In both cases this is an increase from 1996. The total return on Swedish assets abroad is the highest ever recorded in these surveys, which began in 1986.

The survey data are incorporated in Sweden's current account, as well as in the presentation of Sweden's total external assets and liabilities.

Pending the annual survey data on direct investment returns, the Riksbank uses preliminary figures in its monthly compilation of the current account. As a result of the present survey, the current account surplus for 1997 is revised upwards by SEK 3 billion compared with the preliminary figure published earlier.

Copies of the direct investment survey will be available shortly in English and can be collected from the Riksbank (11 Brunkebergstorg or 7 Malmskillnadsgatan). They can also be ordered from the Riksbank's Information Centre by e-mail (inf@riksbank.se), telephone (+46 8 787 01 00) or fax (+46 8 787 05 26). The report will also be available on the Riksbank's web site: www.riksbank.se/eng.