Overseas investors repatriate $1.6bn in 6MFY26

January 20, 2026 (MLN): Foreign investors ' repatriation of profit and dividends rose 27.16% YoY in 6MFY26 to $1.56 billion compared to $1.23bn worth of repatriation in the same period last year, the latest data issued by the central bank revealed.

The data further revealed that during the period, foreign companies repatriated $1.5bn worth of profit against the foreign direct investments (FDI) in various businesses compared to $1.16bn in SPLY, marking an an increase of around 29% YoY in 6MFY26.

The outflow as payment against portfolio investment stood at $59.6m, compared with $63.8m in 6MFY26, witnessing a drop of 6.58% YoY from 6MFY25.

Meanwhile, in December 2025 alone, repatriation of profits and dividends by foreign firms stood at $88.8m.

Sector-wise:

Sectorial representation of the data shows that the major sectors that witnessed the highest repatriation include the Financial Business, Power , Food, Communications and Tobacco & Cigarettes sectors.

Among these, the Financial Business sector repatriated the highest profits of $368.9m in 6MFY26 to overseas.

The data further revealed that Profit outflows from the Power sector clocked in at $358.8m.

Profits outflow from the Food sector increased significantly to $123.7m in 6MFY26.

The payments made on total foreign investment under the Communications and Tobacco & Cigarettes sector stood at $117.7m and $81.2m respectively during the review period.

Country-wise:

A country-wise break up of data on repatriation of profit released by SBP revealed that firms and individual investors in the United Kingdom dispatched the single largest profit of $422.2m during 6MFY26, compared to $423.7m repatriated in the same period prior fiscal year.

To note, in the month of December alone, payments to United Kingdom stood at $19.3m.

The China witnessed the repatriation of the second-highest profits as the country repatriated $385.3m abroad during 6MFY26, compared with $102.2m in 6MFY25.

Third in line was United States which repatriated $126m from Pakistan, down as compared to the number during SPLY, when the country remitted $158.4m as profit income from Pakistan.

Next in line was Netherlands with a profit repatriation of $125.2m during the review period.

In December, United States held dominance with a repatriation worth $19.3m.

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