Full Title: World Investment Report 2024: Investment Facilitation and Digital Government
Author(s): UNCTAD Team
Publisher(s): United Nations
Publication Date: July 1, 2024
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
Global foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2023 decreased marginally, by 2 per cent, to $1.3 trillion. This headline figure was affected by wild swings in financial flows through a small number of European conduit economies; excluding the effect of these conduits, global FDI flows were more than 10 per cent lower than in 2022.
The global environment for international investment remains challenging in 2024. Weakening growth prospects, economic fracturing trends, trade and geopolitical tensions, industrial policies and supply chain diversification are reshaping FDI patterns, causing some multinational enterprises (MNEs) to adopt a cautious approach to overseas expansion. However, MNE profit levels remain high, financing conditions are easing and increased greenfield project announcements in 2023 will positively affect FDI. Modest growth for the full year appears possible.
International project finance and cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As) were especially weak in 2023. M&As, which mostly affect FDI in developed countries, fell by 46 per cent in value. Project finance, important for infrastructure investment, was down 26 per cent. Tighter financing conditions, investor uncertainty, volatility in financial markets and – for M&As – tighter regulatory scrutiny were the principal causes of the decline.