BEA releases summary estimates of MNC activity.

Employment by U.S. multinational companies (MNCs) rose 2.9 percent worldwide in 2007 to 32.0 million workers, according to summary statistics released in April by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). In 2006, global employment rose 2.6 percent.

Domestic employment by U.S. MNCs rose 1.6 percent to 22.0 million workers after rising 1.4 percent. Employment by U.S. parents accounted for almost one-fifth of total U.S. employment in private industries. Abroad, employment by majority-owned foreign affiliates of U.S. MNCs increased 5.8 percent to 10.0 million after increasing 5.6 percent.

Worldwide capital expenditures by U.S. MNCs increased 8.0 percent in 2007 to $645.6 billion after increasing 18.7 percent in 2006. Capital expenditures in the United States by U.S. parent companies increased 7.2 percent to $477.4 billion after increasing 18.1 percent. Capital expenditures abroad by majority-owned foreign affiliates increased 10.2 percent to $168.2 billion after increasing 20.7 percent.

Sales by U.S. parent companies increased 4.0 percent in 2007 to $8,571.8 billion after increasing 7.0 percent in 2006. Sales by their majority-owned foreign affiliates increased 14.8 percent to $4,726.9 billion after increasing 10.5 percent.

Employment in the United States by U.S. parent companies accounted for 69 percent of the worldwide employment of U.S. MNCs in 2007, down from 70 percent in 2006. The U.S. parent share of the worldwide capital expenditures of U.S. MNCs in 2007 was 74 percent, compared with 75 percent in 2006.

Largely reflecting selloffs of foreign ownership shares in U.S. companies, employment in the United States by majority-owned U.S. affiliates of foreign MNCs fell 1.1 percent in 2007 to 5.3 million workers after rising 2.1 percent in 2006. Employment by affiliates accounted for 4.4 percent of total U.S. employment in private industries.

Capital expenditures by these affiliates rose 9.6 percent in 2007 to $177.7 billion after rising 23.4 percent in 2006. Sales by U.S. affiliates increased 5.5 percent to $2,962.5 billion after increasing 11.9 percent.

For more information, see the press release at www.bea.gov/ newsreleases/rels.htm.

As is customary, MNC activity statistics based on more complete source data, including country and industry detail, will be released later this year.