The German Bundesbank published year-end 2024 direct investment statistics showing only limited movement in Germany's investment positions. German direct investment abroad on an immediate host economy basis rose marginally to EUR 1.750 trillion from EUR 1.727 trillion, while foreign direct investment in Germany on an immediate investing economy basis increased 2% to EUR 1.034 trillion from EUR 1.018 trillion. Equity capital remained the main component on both sides, and consolidated views that look through holding companies were presented as a clearer picture of the actual destination countries and sectors. On an ultimate host economy basis, consolidated German direct investment abroad stood at EUR 1.689 trillion. Europe accounted for EUR 857 billion, including EUR 645 billion in European Union countries, followed by the Americas with EUR 560 billion, including more than EUR 460 billion in the United States, and Asia with EUR 234 billion. Investment in China fell for a second consecutive year to EUR 110 billion from EUR 115 billion. By sector of the first operating unit, manufacturing accounted for EUR 587 billion and financial and insurance services for EUR 439 billion. In the unconsolidated view, however, holding companies dominated with EUR 1.046 trillion, or 60% of stocks. For inward investment, the consolidated stock in Germany was EUR 739 billion, versus EUR 1.034 trillion on the immediate investing economy measure, because around two thirds of reported stocks, EUR 679 billion, were booked via holding companies. Financial and insurance services accounted for EUR 263 billion of the consolidated total and manufacturing for EUR 169 billion. Tracing ownership to the ultimate investing economy shifted the source-country ranking, with the United States becoming the largest investor while positions attributed to the Netherlands and Luxembourg more than halved. On that basis, Europe accounted for EUR 471 billion, or 64% of inward stocks, the Americas EUR 177 billion, including EUR 167 billion from the United States, and Asia EUR 86 billion, of which China represented EUR 10 billion.
German Bundesbank 2026-04-30
German Bundesbank reports year end 2024 direct investment stocks were broadly unchanged with outward holdings at EUR 1.75 trillion and inward holdings at EUR 1.03 trillion
The German Bundesbank’s year-end 2024 direct investment statistics show limited changes in Germany’s inward and outward positions, with German direct investment abroad at EUR 1.750 trillion and foreign direct investment in Germany up 2% to EUR 1.034 trillion on an immediate counterpart basis. Consolidated “look-through” data show outward stocks of EUR 1.689 trillion concentrated in Europe and the United States, with investment in China declining for a second year, and inward stocks of EUR 739 billion heavily routed via holding companies, making the United States the largest ultimate investor. Equity capital remained the main component on both sides, with manufacturing and financial and insurance services the key operating sectors once holding companies are looked through.