·         In the fourth quarter of 2016, Israel’s surplus of assets over liabilities vis-à-vis abroad increased by about $10.7 billion (about 11.3 percent), further to an increase of about $10.2 billion (12 percent) in the third quarter of the year. Most of the increase in the surplus during the fourth quarter of 2016 is a result of other investments abroad by Israelis and of a decline in the prices of Israeli financial shares held by nonresidents.

·       The increase in the value of the portfolio of Israelis’ assets held abroad in the fourth quarter ($5.4 billion, 1.4 percent) was concentrated in other investments ($3 billion, 5 percent), and in direct investments abroad by Israelis ($1.5 billion, 1.7 percent).

·      The decline in the gross balance of liabilities to abroad in the fourth quarter ($5.4 billion, 1.9 percent) derived mainly from a decline in the prices of Israeli shares held by nonresidents ($8.1 billion, 8.9 percent).

·      The surplus of assets over liabilities vis-à-vis abroad in debt instruments alone (negative net external debt) increased in the fourth quarter of 2016 by about $3.8 billion (3 percent), to about $129 billion at the end of the quarter.

·      The gross external debt to GDP ratio increased in the fourth quarter, to 28.6 percent at the end of December, the result of an increase in the shekel value of gross external debt that was greater than the increase in GDP.

 

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