Hi Mac, let me have a crack at this. I think this sentence is an oxymoron to put it mildly. What they are trying to do is making a distinction between investments involving plants and plant equipment and investments in financial products. But nevertheless they all would be direct investments. As a humoristic sideline I get the idea that someone uses that "mittelbar and unmittelbar" to distinguish between the guy showing up with a suicase full of money and the other party making the investment via bank transfers.

Thanks, Helmi. I think you're absolutely right and the German is, well, not right (probably too much to expect from the oxymorons at the PR agency). Let me know if you see the guy with the suitcase...