ULAN BATOR, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia's external debt totaled 40.4 billion U.S. dollars in the third quarter of 2025, up 13 percent from the same period last year, according to the National Statistics Office on Monday.

The growth in external debt was caused by an increase in direct investment and intercompany loans by 9.9 percent, as well as a 7.3 percent rise in government borrowing, official data showed.

It is noted that nearly 45.3 percent of Mongolia's total external debt was built up from direct investments and intercompany loans, 21.7 percent from the government's debt and 8.5 percent from debts of other savings institutions, 3.5 percent from the country's Central Bank, and 21 percent from other sectors.

Meanwhile, the Moody's Ratings has predicted that Mongolia's real GDP will edge higher to 5.5 percent this year, and hover around similar rates in 2026. ■