Foreign Direct Investment Statistics: Data, Analysis and Forecasts

FDI in the first quarter of 2023

July 2023 update:

Preliminary estimates in Q1 2023 show global FDI flows^[1] tripled from very low levels recorded in Q4 2022, reaching USD 440 billion.^[2] However, on a year-on-year basis, global FDI flows remained 25% below the level recorded in Q1 2022.

Global FDI flows remained 25% below their level recorded in Q1 2022 (USD bn)

Source: OECD International Direct Investment Statistics database.

Top recipients of FDI inflows worldwide in the first quarter of 2023 were the United States (USD 109 billion), Brazil (USD 21 billion), and China (USD 21 billion).

Top sources of FDI outflows worldwide were the United States (USD 110 billion), Germany (USD 57 billion) and China (USD 50 billion).

OECD FDI inflows reached USD 185 billion in Q1 2023, up from negative levels recorded in Q4 2022.² However, they were 38% below their level recorded in Q1 2022.

OECD FDI outflows increased seven-fold in Q1 2023, to USD 359 billion, compared to historically low levels recorded in Q4 2022.²However, on a year-on-year basis, OECD FDI outflows decreased by 25% compared to Q1 2022.

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[1] By definition, inward and outward FDI worldwide should be equal, but in practice, there are statistical discrepancies between inward and outward FDI. Unless otherwise specified, references to ‘global FDI flows’ refer to the average of these two figures.

[2] Global FDI flows dropped to USD 143 billion in Q4 2022, largely impacted by important withdrawals of capital by a telecommunication MNE operating in Luxembourg. As a results, OECD FDI inflows dropped to negative levels, and OECD FDI outflows dropped to their lower historical levels in Q4 2022. See FDI in Figures – April 2023.

Global FDI flows slowed down in 2022, but new investment showed modest growth

28/04/2023 - Global FDI flows dropped by 24% in 2022 (or by 5%, excluding Luxembourg), to USD 1 286 billion, compared to the previous year. The United States remained the top destination for FDI inflows worldwide (USD 318 billion), followed by China (USD 180 billion), despite lower flows. Cross-border M&A activity slowed down with fewer deals being concluded and the outlook for greenfield investment activity remained positive.

In focus Trends, investor types and drivers of renewables energy FDI, OECD Working Papers on International Investment, Polina Knutsson and Perla Ibarlucea Flores, 2022 Divestments by MNEs: What do we know about why they happen?, Maria Borga and Monika Sztajerowska, 2018 Trade, FDI and global value chains International trade and FDI are the main defining features and key drivers of global value chains. For the first time ever, these statistical notes for OECD countries provide evidence on the role played by investment in global value chains. Download the country notes	‌‌	FDI regulatory restrictiveness index The FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index (FDI Index) measures statutory restrictions on foreign direct investment in 58 countries, including all OECD and G20 countries, and covers 22 sectors. Access the FDI index

FDI statistics database Access the data on OECD.Stat (categorised under "Globalisation") FDI financial flows main aggregates \| by partner country \| by industry FDI income main aggregates \| by partner country \| by industry FDI positions main aggregates \| by partner country \| by industry Access metadata underlying FDI statistics by partner country and by industry for OECD countries The new FDI statistics database covering FDI statistics from 2014 onwards went online in March 2015. Full list of frequently requested data found on the FDI statistics database Content and structure of the FDI statistics database according to BMD4 Access data prior to 2014		OECD benchmark definition (BMD4) The FDI statistics database uses data compiled with "BMD4"- The 4^th edition of the OECD Benchmark definition of FDI (BMD4) provides operational guidelines on how foreign direct investment activity should be measured and sets the world standard for collecting direct investment statistics. How BMD4 impacts our compilation of FDI statistics Brochure on the major changes introduced by BMD4 Note on the FDI statistics database according to BMD4 Explanatory notes on OECD FDI statistics Glossary of FDI terms
Data collection calendar Aggregate FDI statistics are updated quarterly, four months after the end of the reference quarter and revisions to earlier periods. FDI aggregates for Q1: last week of July FDI aggregates for Q2: last week of October FDI aggregates for Q3: last week of January FDI aggregates for Q4: last week of April Datasets: FDI aggregates summary \| FDI positions aggregates \| FDI flows aggregates \| FDI income aggregates Detailed FDI statistics by partner country and by industry are updated annually, in the second half of December of the year after the reference year and incorporate revisions to earlier periods. Minor updates are released in the last weeks of January, March, and June to reflect late reporters and revisions reported by selected countries. Datasets: FDI statistics by partner country and by industry summary \| FDI flows by partner country \| FDI flows by industry \| FDI positions by partner country \| FDI positions by industry \| FDI income by partner country \| FDI income by industry \| FDI by partner country and by industry -BMD4 and historic BMD3 series		Documents and links Trends, investor types and drivers of renewables energy FDI, OECD Working Papers on International Investment, 2022 Divestments by MNEs: What do we know about why they happen?, 2021 Drivers of divestment decisions in multinational enterprises, 2020 The determinants of Foreign Direct Investment - Do statutory restrictions matter?, 2019 The digital economy, multinational enterprises and international investment policy, 2018 Towards an international framework for investment facilitation, 2018 Examen des statistiques d'investissements directs internationaux au Maroc, 2018

Please find here (link to excel tables) the latest official FDI statistics for Q1 2022 as published by official national sources by the end of June 2022. Data for Q2 2022 will be published separately by national authorities by the end of September 2022, and released at the end of October 2022 in the OECD FDI database.