The result is the highest in the past four years.

FDI disbursement also rose by 7.5 per cent from the same period last year to reach $5.7 billion.

Up to 1,082 new projects were granted licences with total registered capital of $5.34 billion, up 50.4 per cent from the same period last year, while 395 existing projects receiving an additional $2.11 billion, 94 per cent of the level from the corresponding period last year.

Meanwhile, capital pledged for stake acquisitions reached $5.68 billion, triple the same period last year, the FIA said.

Foreign investors poured their cash into 19 sectors. Manufacturing and processing remained the most appealing sector by attracting $10.5 billion, accounting for 72 per cent of total investment inflow. It was followed by real estate with $1.1 billion (7.5 per cent) and wholesale and retail with $742.7 million (5 per cent).

Hong Kong was the leading source of foreign investment with $4.7 billion among 80 countries and territories investing in Viet Nam, nearly 32.5 per cent of the country’s total FDI. South Korea ranked second with $1.98 billion (13.6 per cent), and Singapore came next with $1.87 billion (12.8 per cent).

In the first four months of the year, Ha Noi lured the largest share of registered capital with $4.47 billion, or 30.6 per cent of total investment. The capital was followed by HCM City with $2.37 billion (16.3 per cent) and the southern province of Binh Duong with $1 billion (7 per cent).

Exports (including crude oil) of the foreign sector reached $55.4 billion, a 4 per cent year-on-year increase and accounting for 70 per cent of the country’s total export turnover.

The sector's import turnover in the January-April period rose by 9 per cent compared to the same period last year to $42.3 billion, accounting for 58 per cent of the country’s total import turnover.

The foreign sector enjoyed a trade surplus of $13.1 billion in the four months.

Vietnamese overseas investment hits $150 million

The FIA said in the first four months of the year, Vietnamese firms invested nearly $150 million in foreign markets. Of which, 44 projects were granted new investment licences, totalling $96 million while nine ones increased their investment by a total $53.5 million.

Viet Nam’s overseas investment projects mainly focused on science and technology at $81.7 million, accounting for 54.7 per cent of the total.

The banking sector took second place with total investment of $36 million, making up 24.1 per cent. It was followed by the wholesale and retail sector with $16.4 million, accounting for 11 per cent of total investment.

Vietnamese firms invested into 23 countries and territories in the period. Spain lured the biggest amount of investment from them with a large scale project of $59.8 million, accounting for 40 per cent of the total.

Cambodia and Malaysia followed with $37.9 million and $14 million respectively. — VNS