Total FDI inflows into Tunisia shrank 3.3% y/y to TND 1.08bn (USD 659.3mn) in the first seven months of the year, Tunisia’s foreign investment agency said in a statement. FDI climbed 15% when compared to the same period of 2011 but was16.3% lower compared to the inflow registered in January-July 2010, prior to the uprising that ousted the Ben Ali's regime.
Some TND 959.4mn worth of FDI went into the real economy and TND 120mn were invested in the local bourse.
The number of new foreign firms that launched operations in the country over the period rose to 94 from 77 a year ago. The number of foreign firms that expanded their activity in Tunisia increased to 248 at end-July from 112 the year before.
The textile and clothing sector lured 27 new foreign companies and witnessed the expansion of 47 existing ones. The mechanical and steel sector followed with 13 new firms and 21 expanded and the electric and electronic industries ranked third with 9 new companies established and 83 expanded. French, Italian and German investors set up the bulk of the new companies in January-July (68 out of the total).
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