- Outstanding liabilities to abroad increased by approximately $27.5 billion (about 5.2 percent) in the fourth quarter, to about $554 billion at the end of the quarter. The increase was primarily due to a combination of an increase in the prices of Israeli securities held by nonresidents and the continued flow of net investments in Israel by nonresidents.
- In the fourth quarter of 2024, the balance of assets held abroad by Israeli residents increased by approximately only $2.8 billion (about 0.4 percent), to about $774 billion at the end of December. The increase was mainly due to net investments abroad by Israeli residents and an increase in the prices of foreign securities held by Israeli residents.
- Israel’s surplus of assets over liabilities vis-à-vis abroad decreased by approximately $25 billion (10 percent) in the fourth quarter, to about $220 billion at the end of the quarter.
- The surplus of assets over liabilities vis-à-vis abroad in debt instruments alone (negative net external debt) decreased by about $6 billion (2.2 percent) during the fourth quarter, to approximately $277 billion at the end of December.
- The ratio of gross external debt to GDP declined by about 0.7 percentage points in the fourth quarter, to about 27 percent at the end of December.
Summary of 2024
- In 2024, there was a sharp increase in the scope of net investments in the economy by nonresidents. The scope of net investments was about $27 billion compared to only $8 billion in 2023.
- In the second half of 2024, nonresidents resumed net investments in Israeli securities, in contrast with the realizations of the past two years.
- In the second half of 2024, nonresidents also resumed direct investments, which totaled about $17 billion in 2024 overall, slightly higher than their 2023 level.
- In addition, the scope of net investments abroad by Israeli residents in 2024 was markedly higher than its scope in 2023, totaling about $47 billion.