Trade and Investment


New South Wales has extensive links to international markets. In 2006-07, the State's exports of goods and services were valued at A$47 billion. In 2006-07, 71 per cent of the State's merchandise goods were exported to the Asia Pacific.

New South Wales dominates Australia's services exports. The State provides 41 per cent of all services exports from Australia and is the nation's premier tourist destination, as well as a centre for international learning and business.

Trade agreements

New South Wales is well positioned to benefit from liberalisation of bilateral goods and services trade. Australia has free trade agreements with the United States, Thailand, Singapore and New Zealand, and is currently considering agreements with other countries including Japan, China, India, Malaysia, Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Foreign direct investment

Australia was ranked as the 11th most attractive destination in the world for foreign direct investment (FDI) in A.T. Kearney's 2007 FDI Confidence Index survey. The total stock of foreign investment in Australia topped A$1.6 trillion in June 2007. Over the past five years, the world's investment in Australia has grown by more than 80 per cent, with foreign direct investment expanding by 48 per cent.

Forty-five per cent of the top 500 companies in Australasia are located in New South Wales. More than 600 multinational companies run their Asia Pacific operations from Sydney.

Financial hub

Sydney is Australia's finance capital and growing in importance as a regional financial hub in the Asia Pacific. In 2006-07, total turnover across all of Australia's financial markets reached A$120 trillion, a 20 per cent increase on the previous year. Sydney's principal strength as a global financial services centre is its large, skilled and multilingual workforce. Sydney's prominence as a financial centre will be consolidated with the establishment of an Institute of Advanced Research in Finance, which will undertake leading research and provide high-level training.

The Australian Stock Exchange, based in Sydney, is one of the world’s most active and is the first major market to open every day.

Facts and figures

Every year the New South Wales Department of State and Regional Development publishes a report from the latest research and industry data to benchmark the State against selected international business locations and other Australian states.

The NSW Competitiveness Report shows the State's competitive advantages and provides valuable information for people considering investing in Australia or the Asia Pacific.




Department of State and Regional Development
Sydney Australia