Justification of territorial investment priorities in the North-Western federal district

Investment is a vital condition for ensuring the socio-economic growth of both the state and its specific territories. In order to form a balanced development policy, the authorities need to determine the investments priorities, thereby forming the economy growth points and identifying its vulnerabilities. At the same time, state regulation of investments should take into account the aspects of investment in specific territories. However, at the moment there is a problem of disparity of territories’ investment development in the regions. This barrier to the balanced economic development can be removed by investing in specific areas. The purpose of this work is to determine the territorial priorities for attracting investment based on the analysis of the levels of the regions’ investment attractiveness. For this purpose, the article considers the correlation between the levels of the investment climate reflected by a number of indicators of socio-economic risk, and the levels of investment risks, assessed by several types of local risks, such as economic, financial, social and criminal. The object of the study were the regions of the North-Western Federal district, the study subject is the levels of their investment attractiveness. The methodological basis of the work was the rating assessment and cluster analysis conducted by means of the STATISTICA software complex, as well as statistical and comparative methods of analysis. The information component is represented by the domestic scientists’ works in the field of regional economy and investment analysis, the data of the Federal state statistics service and its regional bodies, the research of state institutions. The obtained results can be used in research activities for further development of certain aspects or clarification of the proposed provisions.