The country's foreign direct investment (FDI) disbursement saw a modest increase of 0.9 percent in the first half of 2014 and was estimated to touch 5.75 billion USD.

However, registered capital in the period declined 35 percent to 6.85 billion USD in the reviewed period.

According to the latest report of the Foreign Investment Agency, of the total investments, 4.85 billion USD came from 656 newly-licenced projects while the remainder was from 219 existing projects, which raised their levels of capital.

The manufacturing and processing sector absorbed the largest share of FDI, touching 4.8 billion USD or 70.2 percent of the nation's total registered capital. Construction and real estate trading industries ranked second and third, respectively.

Among the 41 countries and territories investing in Vietnam, the Republic of Korea was the leading source of FDI with 1.55 billion USD, accounting for 22.6 percent the total FDI registered in the country. It was followed by Hong Kong (China) with 1 billion USD and Japan, 806 million USD.

According to the report, Ho Chi Minh City was the most attractive destination for foreign investors with 886.3 million USD or 13 percent of the nation's total FDI, followed by the southern provinces of Binh Duong and Dong Nai, with 876.1 million USD and 688.37 million USD, respectively.

Other ideal localities preferred by foreign investors included the northern provinces of Quang Ninh and Hai Duong and southern Tay Ninh province, where they registered to invest 573.5 million USD, 382.1 million USD and 349.9 million USD, respectively.

During the January to June period, the foreign-investment sector generated 47.82 billion USD from exports, a yearly rise of 17 percent or equivalent to 67.5 percent of the country's total export turnover, while its imports reached 39.29 billion USD, up 11.4 percent.-VNA