Singapore - US investments in Asia grew 12 per cent last year with the biggest jump coming in India, where acquisitions in the information sector propelled the increase, media reported Tuesday.

Investments in the rising economic giant surged 48 per cent to 13.6 billion US dollars in 2007 from a year earlier, according to US Commerce Department statistics published in Singapore's Business Times.

Investments in China rose 21 per cent to 28.2 billion dollars as a result of reinvested earnings in manufacturing, the department said.

Those in Thailand soared 37 per cent to 14.9 billion dollars largely because of investments in petroleum refining, banking and mining while investments in Malaysia jumped 25 per cent to 15.5 billion dollars.

Cumulative investment in the Asia-Pacific region increased by 48.5 billion dollars to 453.9 billion dollars, the report said.

The increase was spread over several industries with the biggest jumps coming in holding companies and manufacturers of computers and electronic products, the department said.

However, the growth of US investments in Asia lagged behind the global average of 14 per cent last year.

Europe experienced the fastest growth in regional terms, up 16 per cent to 1.55 trillion dollars. Investment in the Middle East jumped 15 per cent to 29.3 billion dollars. (dpa)