MACAO -- The inward direct investment flows to China's Macao Special Administrative Region decreased by 79.9 percent year-on-year to 3.01 billion patacas (about $373.3 million) in 2017, the SAR's statistics and census service said.

Analyzed by industry, flows of inward direct investment were mostly recorded in financial activities and construction, while the gaming sector recorded negative inflow.

The inward direct investment flows came mainly from the British Virgin Islands, the Chinese mainland and China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

In 2017, the inward direct investment income rose by 20.4 percent year-on-year to 58.65 billion patacas (about $7.27 billion).

Income from direct investment in gaming industry (37.85 billion patacas, about $4.69 billion) increased by 34.5 percent, while that in financial activities, as well as wholesale and retail dropped by 6.0 percent and 1.6 percent respectively.