International investment position - quarterly data

The Balance of Payments is the statistical statement that systematically summarises transactions between residents and non-residents. It consists of the goods and services account, the primary income account, the secondary income account, the capital account and the financial account (BPM6 – 2.12). The international investment position (IIP) is a statistical statement that shows, at a specific point in time, the value and composition of: a) financial assets of residents of an economy that are claims on non-residents and gold bullion held as reserve assets , and b) liabilities of residents of an economy to non-residents. The difference between an economy's external financial assets and liabilities is the economy's net IIP, which may be positive or negative (BPM6 – 7.1). As with the financial account, financial assets and liabilities can be grouped into five functional categories: a) direct investment, b) portfolio investment, c) financial derivatives and employee stock options, d) other investment and e) reserve assets. (BPM6 – 7.12). The data presented are the "Net positions at the end of the period" and the partner is the "rest of world". Source of euro area data: European Central Bank (ECB).