FOREIGN INVESTMENTS IN JAN.-SEPT. RISE 32 PERCENT

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 21, ARMENPRESS: Armenian national statistical service (Armstat) said the volume of foreign investments in the country’s real economy sector in January-September of 2006 (not counting investments in the state management and banking sectors) rose almost 32 percent from a year ago to $297.5 million.
Armstat said the volume of direct investments was $149.4 million, 8 percent up from a year ago. It said investments from Greece declined 34 percent to $44.8 million, investments from Russia declined 5 percent to $34.4 million. Instead investments from Argentine grew 9 times to $58 million, 2 times from Lebanon to $56.2 million.
Investments from the USA and Great Britain made $17.6 and $21.1 million respectively, up 42 and 15 percent. Investments came also for the first time from China, Liechtenstein and Finland. Almost 34 percent of foreign and 23.7 percent of direct investments went to the communications sector, 23 percent of direct investments went to the mining and 16.4 percent to aviation sectors.