In the last two decades foreign direct investments has increased tremendously all over the world. Therefore the study of their economic influences and consequences is in the centre of international and Hungarian research. The paper without aiming at completeness gives a short summary of their influences on the recipient country, which is followed by the analysis of the Hungarian statistical data. These investments are of primary importance in Hungary. They played an important role in putting the country on an export-governed growth path at a time when inner accumulation did not make this possible. Their import demand exceeding export can be considered as an infavourable influence, with which FDI contributed to foreign trade deficit to a great extent. The annual capital influx helos compensate for the deficit of the balance of payment, however a major part of this deficit results from the withdrawal of the earnings realised with the help of FDI, which has been at a growing rate since 1998. The figures of the Hungarian companies (between 1998 and 2001) show that the duality of the Hungarian economy is not spreading.