€ million | ||
2019 | 2020 | |
Flows - Abroad | 28,659 | -39,395 |
Flows - In Ireland | 133,485 | 70,803 |
Positions - Abroad - end year | 1,001,686 | 987,531 |
Positions - In Ireland - end year | 1,079,570 | 1,097,554 |
Positions - Net - end year | -77,884 | -110,023 |
Net Income Flows | -69,166 | -78,026 |
Irish stocks of direct investment abroad decreased to €988bn at the end of 2020 from a stock position of €1,002bn at the end of 2019.
The stock of direct investment abroad at the end of 2020 comprised of Equity Capital & Reinvested Earnings of €1039bn and the withdrawal of Other Capital of -€52bn. A decrease in Other Capital positions (-€46bn) was offset by an increase in Equity Capital & Reinvested Earnings (€32bn). The decrease in Other Capital positions was mostly attributable to the withdrawal of investment from Switzerland and Central American Offshore centres of €19bn and €25bn respectively. The increase in Equity Capital and Reinvested Earnings positions was attributed to increased investment in North America, €97bn which was offset by a decrease in European investment of €77bn. For the data breakdowns, see Table 3.
The stock of direct investment in Ireland increased between the end of 2019 and end of 2020 - from €1080bn to €1,098bn. Increased investment from the United States of €54bn was offset by a decrease in investment from Europe and Offshore centres of €13bn and €27bn respectively - Table 4.
Ireland had a net foreign liability of €110bn at the end of 2020, an increase of €32bn on the net foreign liability of €78bn at the end 2019.