Investing less in the mainland

Macau’s foreign direct investment in the mainland dropped by more than one-third year-on-year in the first four months of 2012. English-language newspaper Business Daily reports that if the investment pace remains unchanged, the territory will finish the year with a total of US$390 million (MOP3.1 billion), the lowest figure since 2001. Between January and April mainland authorities approved 82 investment projects by Macau companies and institutions, down by 8.9 percent from the same period of last year, the report says. According to the report, the investment actually made in the first four months dropped much more – 34.7 percent – to just US$130 million.