Foreign investment surges 137pc in 1Q FY20

Total foreign investment into the country jumped by 137pc, or $512 million, in the first three months of the financial year 2019-20, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reported on Thursday.

The total investment during the July-September 2019 period clocked in at $886 million as compared to $374 million during the same period in 2018.

In a breakup of the total investment, the central bank posted a 51pc increase in foreign private investment during the period under review. The investment under this head increased to $564 million during the three-month period in contrast with $374 million during the same quarter last year.

Foreign direct investment (FDI), however, decreased by 3pc during the period under review to $542 million as compared to $559 million during the same months last year.

On a month-on-month basis, total foreign investment rose to $622 million during September 2019 as compared to $126 million during the same month in 2018. The FDI also increased to $385 million during September as opposed to $182 million during September 2018.