July 31 (SeeNews) - The ratio of non-performing loans (NPLs) in Serbia's banking sector fell to 5.4% at the end of May from 5.7% in December 2018, central bank governor Jorgovanka Tabakovic said.
The total value of foreign direct investment exceeded 2 billion euro ($2.2 billion) in the first half of 2019, Tabakovic said on Tuesday in a video file posted on the website of Serbia's Parliament.
Earlier this month, the president of Serbia's Chamber of Commerce, Marko Cadez, said the inflow of FDI into Serbia rose 14% on the year in the first half of 2019.
"We have maintained the relative stability of the exchange rate, and the dinar is strengthening due to the good macroeconomic indicators, growth in exports and foreign investment. The central bank bought 1.58 billion euro last year, and 955 million euro in 2019 to increase foreign currency reserves, which are now worth about 12.1 billion euro," Tabakovic said during a meeting of the finance and state budget commission in parliament.
Serbian securities' risk premium fell to record-low 60 basis points, while high demand for eurobonds issued by the government in June shows that the country is attractive to investors, Tabakovic also said.
In 2018, net inflow of FDI into Serbia rose to 3.2 billion euro from 2.415 billion euro in the previous year, according to central bank data. Net FDI in the manufacturing industry accounted for 28% of the total, with 61% of coming from EU member states.
($ = 0.8966 euro)