Global foreign direct investment inflows reached $1.5 trillion in 2024, with the United States leading the way, while Singapore and Hong Kong have become key hubs for capital transit.

Foreign Media: According to data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), total global foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in 2024 amounted to approximately $1.5 trillion. The United States led with $279 billion, far surpassing other countries; Singapore ranked second with $143 billion; Hong Kong China ($126 billion) and Mainland China ($116 billion) followed closely; Luxembourg came fifth with $106 billion.

The top 15 also include: Canada ($64 billion), Brazil ($59 billion), Australia ($53 billion), Egypt ($47 billion), UAE ($46 billion), Mexico ($37 billion), Cayman Islands ($36 billion), France ($34 billion), Spain ($31 billion), and India ($28 billion).

Economies such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, and the Cayman Islands are relatively small in size but have attracted FDI inflows significantly exceeding their economic scale. This is because these locations serve as crucial hubs for multinational corporations’ international financing and investment, acting as global capital "transshipment centers."

Emerging Markets Continue to Attract Capital

In 2024, the ongoing trend of global supply chain restructuring and manufacturing decentralization continued to drive capital flows into multiple emerging markets. Brazil attracted around $59 billion, while Mexico drew nearly $37 billion, partly due to companies expanding local manufacturing capacity to be closer to the U.S. market. India attracted approximately $28 billion, driven by growth in technology, manufacturing, and digital infrastructure; Vietnam and Indonesia have also remained popular destinations due to supply chain shifts.

Developed economies including the UK, Switzerland, and Ireland recorded negative FDI inflows in 2024—however, this typically reflects corporate restructuring, asset divestments, and financial flow volatility, rather than a collapse in actual economic activity within these countries.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1866410955071497/

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