• Chilean Economy, Development and Tourism Minister Nicolás Grau emphasized that, “the figures are very good news, as they show us that foreign investors continue to have confidence in the country despite the complex international economic scenario.”

This morning, the Central Bank reported that the flow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) between January and September this year reached US$ 17.133 billion, a 10% increase over the same period in 2021 and 12% higher than last year’s total of US$ 15.252 billion.

In a month-by-month comparison, the September 2022 flow of US$ 1.955 billion was much higher than in the same month of 2021, when it was actually negative US$ 953 million. For reference, the monthly average FDI over the past 12 months was US$ 1.397 billion.

The most important component of FDI over the period was reinvested earnings, which accounted for US$ 7.205 billion, followed by equity participation at US$ 6.031 billion and debt instruments, in third place at US$ 3.827 billion.

Dynamism and confidence

“These figures are certainly good news, as they indicate that foreign investment in the country remains dynamic and foreign companies continue to choose Chile for their projects in the region,” commented Economy, Development and Tourism Minister Nicolás Grau.  He added that foreign investment is an important part of economic recovery, “and its continued growth is synonymous with more tax revenue as well as more jobs, which is crucial in the current global economic downturn.”

For her part, InvestChile Director Karla Flores said the agency is working to attract companies with projects that will make a positive contribution to the quality of life of the Chilean people.  “Our focus is on attracting in projects that drive our economy and activate our local ecosystems, especially in high-impact sectors where we need to make a leap in quality. It is important that FDI translates into concrete benefits for the people, through high quality jobs, increased training and more opportunities,” affirmed Flores.