Global Investment Trend Monitor No. 32

By UNCTAD, published by UNCTAD, October 2019

Global FDI flows in the first half of 2019 were 24 per cent higher than in the first half of 2018. However, the underlying FDI trend (removing the effects of one-off transactions and intra-firm financial flows, including repatriations driven by the 2017 U.S. tax reforms) was up only 4 per cent. Developed economies saw FDI reaching USD 269 billion in 2019H1, almost doubling the anomalously low 2018H1 value. Flows to developing economies, largely unaffected by repatriations, remained relatively stable at an estimated USD 342 billion, a decline of 2 per cent compared to 2018H1. FDI flows to transition economies were up 4 per cent from 2018H1 to an estimated USD 28 billion. Prospects for the full year remain in line with earlier projections of a 5 to 10 per cent increase. Available at https://investmentpolicy.UNCTAD.org/publications/1209/global-investment-trend-monitor-no-32