Foreign investors repatriated close to $1.5 billion on account of profit and dividend during the first eleven months of this fiscal year (FY21), higher by 23 percent year-on-year.

Foreign investors repatriated some $1,496.3 million on account of profit and dividend during the first eleven months of this fiscal year as compared to $1,215.1 million during the same period of last fiscal year (FY20), an increase of $281 million, stated data released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

Profit, dividend: Foreign investors repatriate $892m in H1

Detailed analysis revealed that a major outflow of profit and dividend was witnessed from the head of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and cumulatively, some 92 percent of the repatriated amount was sent as returns on FDI. Repatriation on account of FDI posted a 28 percent increase, while repatriation from Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI) recorded 17 percent decline during the period under review as compared to the same period last fiscal year.

Repatriation of profit and dividend on account of return on FDI surged by $304 million to $1,382.1 million during July-May of FY21 versus $1,077.6 million outflow in the corresponding period last fiscal year.

Similarly, foreign investors repatriated $114.2 million on account of returns on portfolio investment, down from $137.6 million.

E-banking transactions increase 31% year-on-year during Jan-Mar: SBP

On a month-on-month basis, foreign investors repatriated $184.1 million including $167.9 million of FDI returns and $16.3 million of return on portfolio investment in May 2021.

Most of the repatriation has been made from financial business amounting to $318 million, food sector ($230.6 million), communication ($185 million), and transport ($131.6 million).