Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Hong Kong, China
Hong Kong, China: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 19.7% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Hong Kong, China, 1980–2024
Source: Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Hong Kong, China recorded 19.7% for foreign direct investment, net outflows in 2024.
The figure is down 21.9% on the previous year and down 59.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Hong Kong, China peaked at 48.3% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1981.
Hong Kong, China ranks 3rd of 191 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Hong Kong, China, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.3% | — |
| 1981 | 0.1% | -64.9% |
| 1982 | 0.2% | +61.3% |
| 1983 | 1.9% | +1075.2% |
| 1984 | 3.2% | +69.7% |
| 1985 | 2.7% | -16.2% |
| 1986 | 3.3% | +24.1% |
| 1987 | 4.6% | +37.1% |
| 1988 | 4.2% | -7.4% |
| 1989 | 4.0% | -6.1% |
| 1990 | 3.2% | -20.1% |
| 1991 | 3.2% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 7.9% | +149.3% |
| 1993 | 14.7% | +85.9% |
| 1994 | 15.8% | +7.2% |
| 1995 | 17.3% | +9.5% |
| 1996 | 16.6% | -3.9% |
| 1997 | 13.8% | -17.2% |
| 1998 | 9.8% | -28.5% |
| 1999 | 13.4% | +36.1% |
| 2000 | 40.8% | +204.3% |
| 2001 | 12.0% | -70.6% |
| 2002 | 9.8% | -18.4% |
| 2003 | 7.9% | -18.8% |
| 2004 | 21.7% | +173.4% |
| 2005 | 18.7% | -13.9% |
| 2006 | 24.6% | +31.6% |
| 2007 | 32.1% | +30.5% |
| 2008 | 26.0% | -18.9% |
| 2009 | 27.1% | +4.0% |
| 2010 | 43.1% | +59.0% |
| 2011 | 38.6% | -10.4% |
| 2012 | 33.6% | -13.1% |
| 2013 | 30.2% | -9.9% |
| 2014 | 48.3% | +59.9% |
| 2015 | 25.4% | -47.5% |
| 2016 | 23.5% | -7.2% |
| 2017 | 29.8% | +26.6% |
| 2018 | 20.7% | -30.5% |
| 2019 | 10.4% | -49.8% |
| 2020 | 24.2% | +132.5% |
| 2021 | 25.3% | +4.7% |
| 2022 | 33.2% | +31.0% |
| 2023 | 25.3% | -23.9% |
| 2024 | 19.7% | -21.9% |
Hong Kong, China compared with similar countries
- Hong Kong, China's 19.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.9%, 22.0× the median. (69 countries reporting)
- Hong Kong, China's 19.7% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.3%, 73.0× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Hong Kong, China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | +1075.2% | 0.2% | 1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.4% | 0.1% | 4.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.6% | 3.2% | 17.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 22.1% | 7.9% | 40.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 30.4% | 10.4% | 48.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 25.5% | 19.7% | 33.2% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Hong Kong, China
- 1 Malta 145.6% compare
- 2 Luxembourg 116.4% compare
- 4 Singapore 15.6% compare
- 5 United Arab Emirates 14.0% compare
- 6 Ireland 11.0% compare
More economy & growth data for Hong Kong, China
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 80.54 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.1972 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 10,704 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 125.82 billion BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual 3.14 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.3081 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 16,722 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 0.3594 % change on previous year (2023)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per unit of GDP 1.12 includes gold, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), per capita 56,469 includes gold, current US$ per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Hong Kong, China?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Hong Kong, China was 19.7% in 2024, according to Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Hong Kong, China?
- The highest recorded value was 48.3% in 2014.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Hong Kong, China?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1981.
- How does Hong Kong, China rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Hong Kong, China ranks 3rd out of 191 countries with data for 2024.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Hong Kong, China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 59.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Hong Kong, China data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net outflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in an economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. Direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. This series shows net outflows of investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world, and is divided by GDP.