联合国(UN)初步数据显示，去年全球外国直接投资(FDI)猛增至创纪录的1.5万亿美元，超过此前于2000年创下的1.4万亿美元峰值水平。

Worldwide foreign direct investment surged to a record $1,500bn last year, surpassing the previous peak of $1,400bn in 2000, according to preliminary UN figures.

联合国贸易和发展会议(Unctad)在昨日发布的报告中表示，去年下半年的金融震荡并未冲击总体外国直接投资流动，不过2008年的前景更加不确定。

The UN Conference on Trade and Development said in its report released yesterday that financial turmoil¹ in the second half of last year had not hit overall FDI flows, although the outlook for 2008 was more uncertain.

美元走软可能鼓励了流入美国的外国投资，由于企业和其它持有不断升值货币的投资者纷纷抢购廉价美国资产，美国成为外国直接投资的最大接收国，吸引外国直接投资估计达1930亿美元。

Dollar weakness may have encouraged inward investment to the US, the largest recipient² attracting an estimated $193bn (€131bn, ￡98bn) in FDI, as companies and other investors³ with funds in appreciating currencies snapped up cheap American assets.

2007年富国和穷国吸引的外国直接投资都出现强劲增长，其中三分之二流向工业化国家，剩余三分之一流向发展中国家和俄罗斯等“转型”国家。

Rich and poor countries alike saw strong growth in FDI in 2007, with two-thirds going to industrialised nations and the rest to developing and “transition” countries such as Russia.

受飞速发展的能源行业推动，去年外国对俄罗斯的投资跃升70%，至近500亿美元。

Foreign investment in Russia, propelled by its booming energy sector⁴, jumped 70 per cent last year to nearly $50bn.

联合国贸易和发展会议表示，外国直接投资反映出全球许多地区的强劲经济表现，以及在企业利润高企和收购资金充裕的推动下，跨境并购活动活跃。

Unctad said the growth in FDI reflected a strong economic performance in many parts of the world and buoyant cross-border mergers⁵ and acquisitions activity fuelled by high corporate⁶ profits and an abundance of cash for purchases.

然而，在去年夏天的信贷紧缩之后，2007年下半年的并购交易额有所下降。联合国贸易和发展会议警告，世界经济各种下行风险可能影响2008年的前景。

However, the value of M&As declined in the second half of 2007 following the summer’s credit squeeze. Various downside risks for the world economy could affect prospects⁷ for 2008, Unctad warned.

“全球外部失衡持续存在、汇率大幅波动、利率不断上升和通胀压力不断加剧，以及大宗商品价格高企和波动，造成的风险可能对全球外国直接投资流动产生降温影响。”

“Continuing global external imbalances, sharp exchange rate fluctuations⁸, rising interest rates and increasing inflationary pressures, as well as high and volatile⁹ commodity prices, pose risks that may have a chilling effect on global FDI flows.”

英国紧随美国之后，以1710亿美元的外国直接投资流入，成为去年第二大新增外国投资接收国，法国以1230亿美元位居第三。欧盟(EU)是吸引外国直接投资最多的地区，占2007年全部外国投资额的40%。

After the US, the UK was the second biggest host to new foreign investment last year with FDI inflows of $171bn, followed by France at $123bn. The European Union was the largest host region, accounting¹⁰ for 40 per cent of all inflows in 2007.

中国仍然是发展中国家中吸引外国直接投资最多的国家，其金额从2006年的690亿美元，略微下滑至670亿美元，但香港吸引的投资从430亿美元上升至540亿美元，增幅逾四分之一。巴西、墨西哥和新加坡并列第三，去年均吸引了约370亿美元的外国直接投资。

FDI flows to China, still the biggest recipient among developing countries, de-clined slightly from $69bn in 2006 to $67bn, but investment in Hong Kong was up by more than a quarter from $43bn to $54bn. In equal third place, Brazil, Mexico and Singapore all netted about $37bn in FDI last year.