On Foreign Direct Investment from the ASEAN-8 Countries: A Panel Data Estimation

Abstract

This paper examines how capital flight, loan interest rates, inflation, exchange rates and economic growth influence foreign direct investment in the ASEAN-8 countries. We apply fixed effect estimation to panel data for data belonging to eight countries from the period 1994 to 2018. The results show that capital flight and economic growth have a positive and significant effect on foreign direct investment. An increase in capital flight, capital retain from sources of funds which greater than the use of funds, has encouraged foreign direct investment to increase. Furthermore, increased economic growth has stimulated foreign direct investment. We find that an increase in loan interest rate (SIBOR), inflation and depreciation of the exchange rate triggers a significant decline in foreign direct investment. This finding implies that capital retention from capital flight and economic growth are the main factors that create an increase in foreign direct investment in the ASEAN-8 countries. Meanwhile, loan interest rates (SIBOR), inflation and depreciation of the exchange rate are the risk factors that investors need to consider when investing in those particular countries. This paper is useful for policy makers in the ASEAN-8 countries to consider these five variables, as the important factors that significantly influence foreign direct investment in the ASEAN-8 countries.