Brazil became a significant source of outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) only in the 2000s. Concentrated in the secondary and tertiary sectors, OFDI from Brazil goes primarily to neighboring economies and the United States and Europe. OFDI flows from Brazil include large amounts in tax havens to escape domestic regulations and taxes. Brazil's OFDI flow was negative (-US$ 10 billion) in 2009 during the global financial and economic crisis, due to the repatriation of capital, mainly through intrafirm lending by foreign affiliates of Brazilian multinational enterprises (MNEs) to their parent firms. However, in 2010, OFDI flows from Brazil were positive again, at US$ 12 billion. The stock jumped from US$ 52 in 2000 to US$ 181 billion in 2010. Except for loans provided selectively by the state investment bank BNDES, Brazil still has no institutionalized policy measures to support OFDI. Always lower than inward FDI so far, Brazil's OFDI follows Brazilian economic growth and local currency appreciation that generate increased savings, and its recent growth reflects market opportunities abroad that are open to Brazilian national champions with competitive advantages and large-scale operations.