Lao PDR: Portfolio equity, net inflows (BoP, current US$)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Lao PDR's portfolio equity, net inflows (BoP, current US$) fell US$767,233 on 2024 (from −US$210,464 to −US$977,697).

Across the 29 yearly changes before that (1985 to 2024), the average change was −US$1.86 million and a typical year strayed about US$11.89 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was US$35.87 million in 2018 and the biggest yearly fall was US$42.35 million in 2011. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 20% of the movement over 10 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Lao PDR had the 68th highest value of the 103 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Lao PDR in the 2025 ranking

• São Tomé and Principe — 65th of 103: US$1,518
• Bosnia and Herzegovina — 66th of 103: −US$4,354
• Tajikistan — 67th of 103: −US$94,530
• Paraguay — 69th of 103: −US$2.29 million
• Armenia — 70th of 103: −US$4.57 million
• Bermuda — 71st of 103: −US$7.25 million

What this measures

Portfolio equity includes net inflows from equity securities other than those recorded as direct investment and including shares, stocks, depository receipts (American or global), and direct purchases of shares in local stock markets by foreign investors. Data are in current U.S. dollars.

Limitations: Portfolio investors typically have less of a role in the decision making of the enterprise with potentially important implications for future flows and for the volatility of the price and volume of positions. Portfolio investment differs from other investment in that it provides a direct way to access financial markets, and thus it can provide liquidity and flexibility. It is associated with financial markets and with their specialized service providers, such as exchanges, dealers, and regulators. The nature of financial derivatives as instruments through which risk is traded in its own right in financial markets sets them apart from other types of investment.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 32 values

Portfolio equity, net inflows (BoP, current US$) in nearby economies

• Australia — US$18.94 billion (2025)
• China — US$35.76 billion (2025)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — US$19.64 billion (2025)
• Indonesia — −US$1.59 billion (2025)
• Japan — US$57.42 billion (2025)
• Korea, Rep. — −US$5.75 billion (2025)
• Macao SAR, China — US$28.17 million (2025)
• Malaysia — −US$2.71 billion (2025)
• Mongolia — US$43.02 million (2025)
• New Zealand

More economic policy & debt data for Lao PDR

• Grants, excluding technical cooperation (BoP, current US$) — US$347.91 million (2023)
• Technical cooperation grants (BoP, current US$) — US$90.18 million (2023)
• Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, Japan (current US$) — US$41.74 million (2023)
• Net bilateral aid flows from DAC donors, Total (current US$) — US$435.39 million (2023)
• Net official development assistance and official aid received (current US$) — US$514.84 million (2023)
• Net official development assistance and official aid received (constant 2023 US$) — US$514.84 million (2023)
• Net official development assistance received (current US$) — US$514.84 million (2023)
• Net official development assistance received (constant 2023 US$)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Lao PDR's portfolio equity, net inflows (BoP, current US$)?

−US$977,697 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How does Lao PDR rank?

68th highest of 103 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in portfolio equity, net inflows (BoP, current US$) unusual for Lao PDR?

In 2025, Lao PDR's portfolio equity, net inflows (BoP, current US$) fell US$767,233 on 2024 (from −US$210,464 to −US$977,697). Across the 29 yearly changes before that (1985 to 2024), the average change was −US$1.86 million and a typical year strayed about US$11.89 million from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Where does this data come from?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF); International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB).

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator BX.PEF.TOTL.CD.WD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF); International Debt Statistics, World Bank (WB) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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