Back to Top

 Skip navigation

Extra information
For more information on this release:
E-mail: internationalaccounts@cso.ie Mavo Ralazamahaleo 01 4984259 Annette Hayes 01 4984319
For general information on CSO statistics:
information@cso.ie (+353) 21 453 5000 On-line ISSN 2009-6747
CSO statistical release, , 11am

Resident Holdings of Foreign Portfolio Securities

31 December 2019

    € million
 EquityBonds and NotesMoney Market InstrumentsTotal
2019    
Total1,392,1381,552,631455,9543,400,723
of which:
   United States 515,910442,240108,9471,067,097
   United Kingdom158,977453,63281,824694,433
   France44,23891,72461,248197,210
   Luxembourg 101,49230,2896,231138,012
   Germany45,82254,48933,744134,055

Investment in foreign securities rises to €3.4 trillion at end-2019

Figure 1 Portfolio Investment by Country 31 December 2019
go to full release

The value of Irish residents’ holdings of foreign securities at end-December 2019 amounted to €3,401bn, up €657bn or 24% on the 2018 level of €2,744bn. The increase is largely accounted for by increases in equity and bonds and notes assets.

Combined investment in US-issued and UK-issued instruments (€1,762bn) accounted for 51.8% of the total stock, up from 51.2% on 2018.

Other points of note from the end-2019 results are:

  • Overall investment in US securities rose by €235bn, but the composition of that investment changed significantly with equity up €127bn, bonds & notes up €104bn and money market instruments up €4bn – see Table 1. Investment funds accounted for 78% of US securities total - the corresponding investment by money market funds increased by €10bn to €93bn - see Table 2.
  • Investment in UK securities rose by €122bn to €694bn, cementing its position as the second most popular investment location. France is still at third place with investment increasing by €36bn to €197bn.
  • Significant holdings are also shown for Luxembourg (€138bn, up 19.2%), Germany (€134bn, up 23.4%), Netherlands (€127bn, up 37.1%), Italy (€115bn, up 18.6 %) and Japan (€109bn, up 18.7 %).
  • Total investment in investment funds increased by €515bn to €2,282bn – the corresponding total investment in money market funds increased by €62bn to €410bn - see Table 2.

This release also provides analysis by country of issuer and sector of holder (Table 2). Corresponding data for 2019 are shown including revisions resulting from more recent information. Overall, the data are compatible in form and content with the data being submitted to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as part of Ireland’s on-going participation in the IMF’s world-wide annual Coordinated Portfolio Investment Survey. They are also consistent with the portfolio investment stock statistics published on the 7th September 2020 in the International Accounts Quarter 2 2020 – see Background Notes. More detailed geographical analysis is available on the CSO StatBank.

This map is © Ordnance Survey Ireland. All rights reserved. License number 01/05/001.
DebtEquity
Central
Bank
20.8960875970
Banks52.9881693.279567
Money Market
Funds
410.0913770.350622686
Investment
Funds
1184.2099837641097.548575316
Insurance
and Pensions
77.218458787213.208505277
Government1.3226508844.094285572
Other261.8585722573.656480949

Central Bank: S121
Banks: S122
Money Market Funds: S123
Investment Funds: S124
Insurance & Pensions: S128/S129
Government: S13
Other: S125/S126/S127/S11/S14/S15

DebtEquity
20171579.491109.071
20181649.6831094.618
20192008.5851392.138
Table 1 Resident Holdings of Foreign Portfolio Securities1 - by Country of Issuer€ million
Country Equity Bonds and NotesMoney Market Instruments Total
 31 Dec 2018231 Dec 2019 31 Dec 2018231 Dec 2019 31 Dec 2018231 Dec 2019 31 Dec 2018231 Dec 2019
Australia  11,38715,111 11,92213,929 20,46113,972 43,77043,012
Austria  1,4401,584 5,7456,809 1,4201,588 8,6059,981
Belgium  5,0835,731 12,86214,559 12,16712,889 30,11233,179
Bermuda  7,9719,367 3,5043,959 2810 11,50313,336
Brazil  7,8679,519 4,8146,026 26861 12,94915,606
Canada  10,93615,433 15,50017,928 24,62226,320 51,05859,681
Cayman Islands  49,05963,707 16,04419,674 1,4021,513 66,50584,894
China 16,27022,908 1,2553,146 6612,155 18,18628,209
Denmark  4,8696,893 ** ** 10,99115,857
Finland  5,8736,745 4,0074,804 7,32015,775 17,20027,324
France  35,14744,238 74,41191,724 52,01061,248 161,568197,210
Germany  36,05345,822 51,72954,489 20,87233,744 108,654134,055
Hong Kong  12,50913,187 1,3551,811 818585 14,68215,583
India  13,99917,189 *1,501 *0 15,12418,690
Indonesia  3,1173,609 5,8568,481 00 8,97312,090
Italy  32,27742,658 62,86570,839 1,6891,335 96,831114,832
Japan  58,57170,660 14,00118,280 19,33320,120 91,905109,060
Jersey  5,6017,429 3,980* 27* 9,60811,881
Korea, Republic of  16,03118,319 2,1233,165 11476 18,16521,960
Luxembourg  86,153101,492 24,86630,289 4,7156,231 115,734138,012
Mexico 3,1443,578 9,94013,191 28232 13,11217,001
Netherlands 24,57541,756 51,74365,758 16,32519,496 92,643127,010
Norway 4,5985,109 4,2325,956 1,8211,420 10,65112,485
Poland 1,4301,269 5,0484,498 00 6,4785,767
Portugal 1,1651,506 4,3175,583 64123 5,5467,212
Russian Federation  10,32311,984 12,28515,545 570 22,66527,529
Singapore 3,7004,528 1,8342,273 9,8449,375 15,37816,176
South Africa 6,1806,180 4,9686,286 476305 11,62412,771
Spain 12,64215,466 35,58543,809 2,3283,124 50,55562,399
Sweden 10,74313,840 10,50114,431 14,90210,689 36,14638,960
Switzerland 20,81428,789 4,3196,223 5,87812,483 31,01147,495
Taiwan, Province of China 13,06818,044 2823 00 13,09618,067
Turkey 1,2691,448 4,2744,549 00 5,5435,997
United Kingdom 132,662158,977 369,629453,632 70,45281,824 572,743694,433
United States 389,013515,910 338,311442,240 105,263108,947 832,5871,067,097
Other countries3 39,07942,153 50,52867,183 6,4758,131 96,082117,467
International Organisations 00 14,85717,336 1,4611,069 16,31818,405
Total 1,094,6181,392,138 1,245,8121,552,631 403,871455,954 2,744,3013,400,723
1The figures exclude Reserve Assets (see Background Notes).
2Revised
3This category includes data supplied by respondents without a geographical breakdown.
*Suppressed for confidentiality reasons.
Table 2 Resident Holdings of Foreign Portfolio Securities1 - by Country of Issuer and Sector of Holder€ million
Country Central Bank Banks Money Market Funds Investment Funds Insurance & Pensions Government Other  Total
 S121 S122 S123 S124 S128/9 S13 S125/6/7/11/14/15   
 31 Dec 2018231 Dec 2018 31 Dec 2018231 Dec 2019 31 Dec 2018231 Dec 2019 31 Dec 2018231 Dec 2019 31 Dec 2018231 Dec 2019 31 Dec 2018231 Dec 2019 31 Dec 2018231 Dec 2019 31 Dec 2018231 Dec 2019
Australia 00 1,340* 20,37614,956 ** *1,890 7863 ** 43,77043,012
Austria 518469 693299 9841,153 *5,721 *1,713 11 *625 8,6059,981
Belgium 8631,042 1,8631,294 11,42712,243 ** ** 2622 ** 30,11233,179
Bermuda 00 ** 00 11,072* *511 21 0* 11,50313,336
Brazil 00 00 00 12,78115,410 168196 00 00 12,94915,606
Canada 651781 708904 24,85026,360 *29,164 *2,300 2723 *149 51,05859,681
Cayman Islands 00 *263 1,3361,420 ** 1,646* 6564 ** 66,50584,894
China00 ** 6032,106 ** 482806 6870 ** 18,18628,209
Denmark 181196 537520 260 ** ** 1813 ** 10,99115,857
Finland 95141 424362 7,00215,413 ** ** 1414 ** 17,20027,324
France 5,6275,337 6,3266,292 44,62955,779 70,68591,636 ** 691360 ** 161,568197,210
Germany 1,194946 4,9823,021 18,12431,286 57,57771,124 *19,647 7875 *7,956 108,654134,055
Hong Kong  00 00 815549 ** ** 55 ** 14,68215,583
India 00 00 00 ** ** 00 ** 15,12418,690
Indonesia 00 00 00 ** ** 10 ** 8,97312,090
Italy 2,8562,109 16,55513,592 213160 33,25543,679 ** 9793 ** 96,831114,832
Japan 00 2,6342,419 15,44315,986 *84,067 3,2984,053 4546 *2,489 91,905109,060
Jersey 00 ** 60 ** 167419 00 ** 9,60811,881
Luxembourg 1710 1,374* 4,2624,671 42,03053,727 ** 781116 ** 115,734138,012
Mexico 00 ** 041 ** 298352 53 ** 13,11217,001
Netherlands 353298 2,3922,066 15,68119,678 49,63067,275 ** 177135 ** 92,643127,010
Norway 133136 797913 1,7461,547 *8,788 *1,099 12 *0 10,65112,485
Poland 181178 686486 00 ** ** 10 ** 6,4785,767
Portugal220255 ** 5059 1,7633,019 ** 1310 ** 5,5467,212
Korea, Republic of 159211 00 10475 ** ** 00 ** 18,16521,960
Russian Federation 00 ** 00 7,66112,489 *167 00 ** 22,66527,529
Singapore 00 ** 9,6848,908 ** 288310 22 ** 15,37816,176
South Africa 00 0* 4190 ** ** 00 ** 11,62412,771
Spain 2,5242,679 5,1255,105 1,4602,170 24,30732,002 ** 9881 ** 50,55562,399
Sweden 3520 1,4141,626 13,96710,175 ** ** 1914 ** 36,14638,960
Switzerland 300 ** 4,84911,597 *31,870 3,070* 4233 *465 31,01147,495
Taiwan Province of China 00 00 00 12,61817,343 477722 12 00 13,09618,067
Turkey 00 00 00 5,4745,926 6970 00 01 5,5435,997
United Kingdom 00 5,2297,017 62,67174,172 377,420471,716 ** 1,4071,639 ** 572,743694,433
United States 00 ** 83,30193,031 619,861828,103 35,979* 2,4172,432 ** 832,5871,067,097
Other countries3161160 ** 3,4125,179 74,29293,053 ** 9298 ** 96,082117,467
International Organisations5,9415,938 2,9482,740 8501,328 4,8537,380 693713 00 1,033306 16,31818,405
Total 21,89320,896 62,44656,268 348,196410,442 1,766,6022,281,758 252,128290,427 6,2725,417 286,764335,515 2,744,3013,400,723
1The figures exclude Reserve Assets (see Background Notes).
2Revised.
3This category includes data supplied by respondents without a geographical breakdown.
*Suppressed for confidentiality reasons.

Background Notes

This release updates the annual (end-December) series on foreign portfolio asset stock statistics introduced in October 2003. These figures result from the CSO’s ongoing participation in the annual Co-ordinated Portfolio Investment Survey (CPIS) conducted by the IMF. The information is compiled on the basis of the IMF’s methodological recommendations described in its Co-ordinated Portfolio Investment Survey Guide. This methodology is designed to harmonise the timing and valuation conventions used by all countries participating in the survey. The results are conceptually consistent with the International Investment Position (IIP) statistics on foreign assets published by the CSO. Therefore, the compilation methodology, which is designed to meet the recommendations of the IMF’s Balance of Payments Manual - 6th Edition (BPM6) concerning compilation of international investment position statistics, is essentially the same for both series.

The CPIS is concerned with portfolio investment stock statistics for equities and long-term (i.e. bonds and notes) and short-term (i.e. money market instruments) debt securities. The results are classified by country of issue of the securities and are also cross-classified by type of financial instrument, and by sector of holder.

For more detailed information see Resident Holdings Of Foreign Portfolio Securities

upArrowHide Background Notes