Investments in Azerbaijan's economy (January-July 2014)

According to the Azerbaijani State Statistics Committee, around 9.075.5 billion AZN was invested from all financial sources in the development of the economic and social areas of Azerbaijan in January-July 2014, which is by 3 percent more than in the same period of last year. It indicates sustainable investment activity in the country.

In particular, around 1.449.6 billion AZN were invested in the Azerbaijani economy in July 2014, which is by 0.7 percent more than investments in fixed assets in July 2013. Until 2015, we will observe a steady increase in investment in capital construction because of the growth of building, rehabilitation and reconstruction work in preparation for the first European Olympic Games-2015 in Azerbaijan.

The main sources of investments in January-July 2014 are as follows:

• funds of enterprises and organizations - 5.103.6 billion AZN (an increase of 39.3 percent compared to January-July 2013;
• budgetary funds - 3.166.2 billion AZN (a decrease of 23.3 percent);
• off-budgetary funds - 161.2 million AZN (a decrease of 50.4 percent);
• bank loans - 332.7 million AZN (a decrease of 25.6 percent);
• funds of population - 253 million AZN (an increase of 12.3 percent)

Apparently, the investments made in the country's economy in January-July 2014 increased due to an increase in investment activity of enterprises, organizations and the population.

According to the committee, investments in construction work increased by 13 percent. Investments worth 6.140.7 billion AZN were made in construction of production facilities and 2.934.8 billion AZN - in non-production facilities.

Private enterprises and organizations invested 51.5 percent of all investments in fixed capital, and the state enterprises - 48.5 percent.

About 61.9 percent of funds invested in capital stock, or 5.622.2 billion AZN, were directed at the development of the non-oil sector. Investments in the oil sector comprised 3.453.3 billion AZN (38.1 percent). Investments in non-oil sector decreased by 8.8 percent, while they increased by 30.4 percent in the oil sector.

The total investments in the industry totaled 4.173.7 billion AZN with an increase of 5.4 percent. About 243.7 million AZN were invested in the processing industry (a decrease of 54.4 percent). During the reporting period, the investments in the extractive sector hit 3.436.2 billion AZN, which is 29.5 percent more than investments in January-July 2013. Totally, 46 percent of investments fell to the industrial sector.

Around 70.8 percent of the total capital investments accounted for domestic investments. This is a positive index, primarily, because it shows the growing financial potential of the country.

Most (65 percent) of domestic investments fell to the state-owned enterprises and organizations, and only 35 percent - private enterprises.

Investment indices in January-July 2014:

(Source: State Statistics Committee and calculations by Trend")

The total amount of foreign investments in Azerbaijan's economy amounted to 2.646.2 billion AZN in January-July 2014 or by 18.9 percent more compared to the same period of 2013.

The growth of foreign investments in the country shows that Azerbaijan is a very reliable partner and a very attractive country for foreign investors. The economic reforms, economic liberalization, increasing the credit rating of Azerbaijan by the world leading rating agencies, the policy of integration into the world economy contribute to the growth of foreign investments.

Around 79.8 percent (2.111.9 billion AZN) of investments in Azerbaijan's economy made by foreign countries and international organisations fell to investors from the UK, U.S, Japan, Norway, Turkey and the Czech Republic in January- July 2014.

As previously, the UK continues to maintain a leading position in the list of foreign investors in Azerbaijan. Its share in the total foreign investment was 31.7 percent, while investments totalled 839.18 million AZN.

The biggest amount of investments among the international financial institutions was allocated by WB to the amount of 71.5 million AZN with a special weight of 2.7 percent. WB projects cover different spheres of the country's economic life.