Balance of Payments of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2016

4/12/2017

April 12, 2017

The Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina published the data on balance of payments for 2016, according to which the current account deficit amounted to KM 1.31 billion, which is about KM 266 million less compared to 2015. In relative terms, the current account deficit amounts to 4.4% of GDP, which is a significant decrease compared to 5.5% in 2015. 

The main cause of the current account deficit is a significant imbalance in foreign trade of goods. The deficit of trade in goods in 2016, amounted to KM 7.20 billion and it is less by around KM 219 million compared to 2015, as a result of an increase in exports of goods. The balance of services recorded a surplus of KM 2.15 billion, which is about KM 65 million more than in the previous year, to which the increased income from tourism contributed. 

The surplus of the primary income is slightly increased and amounted to KM 160 million, while the secondary income is in surplus of KM 3.58 billion and slightly decreased compared to 2015. The most important item of secondary income is received current transfers, which in 2016 amounted to KM 3.58 billion. Out of this, personnel transfers or remittances from abroad amounted to KM 2.44 billion, and other current transfers, most of which pensions from abroad, amounted to KM 1.14 billion. 

The capital account balance amounted to KM 355 million, which was down by KM 47 million compared to the previous year. 

On the financial account there are recorded net inflows of KM 783 million (KM 1.02 billion in 2015), which indicates further growth of liabilities towards nonresidents, by which the current account deficit was funded. Within the financial account, foreign direct investment (net liabilities) in BH, in 2016, amounted to KM 460.6 million and it is decrease compared to 2015, by KM 55.6 million.

Detailed data on the balance of payments for 2016 are available on the CBBH web site - www.cbbh.ba.



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