Question:

Both Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Foreign Institutional Investor (FII) investment are related to investment in a country. Which one of the following statements best represents an important difference between the two?

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FDI is a direct stake in a business with a management role; FII is portfolio money moving through the stock market.
Updated On: Jul 15, 2026
  • FII helps bring better management skills and technology while FDI only brings capital
  • FII helps in increasing capital availability in general, while FDI only targets specific sectors
  • FDI flows only into secondary markets while FII targets primary markets
  • FII is considered to be more stable than FDI
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept.
FDI is direct, long-term investment into a specific company or sector, usually giving the investor a controlling stake and bringing management know-how along with capital. FII is portfolio investment routed through the stock market and spreads across many companies and sectors.

Step 2: Check option A.
It is FDI, not FII, that typically brings management skills and technology along with capital, since FDI investors take an operating role. So A reverses the real relationship and is wrong.

Step 3: Check option B.
Because FII money flows broadly through the stock market into many listed companies across sectors, it widens capital availability generally, while FDI is usually channelled into specific companies or sectors chosen by the investor. This matches the standard textbook distinction.

Step 4: Check option C.
FII operates through the secondary market (buying and selling existing listed shares), while FDI can enter through primary investment in a company, so option C states the flows backwards and is wrong.

Step 5: Check option D.
FDI is considered more stable because it is a long-term commitment, while FII money (often called hot money) can be moved out quickly, making it less stable. So D is wrong.

Step 6: Final Answer.
Option B is the statement that best captures the real difference.
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