Business Sweden's annual survey of foreign direct investment (FDI) showed a continued decline in 2023. FDI fell by 2 per cent globally in 2023 compared to the previous year.
Europe saw weak performance last year as FDI reached just USD 27 billion. In North America – encompassing the US, Canada and Mexico in this analysis – a 4 per cent drop from the previous year was noted. Meanwhile, FDI in Asia fell by 15 per cent.
Sweden was also significantly affected by the decline as FDI fell by 34 per cent from the record year 2022 to SEK 322 billion in 2023 – but the figure still remains high. Sweden is now the fourth largest market in Europe for FDI and ranks thirteenth place globally.
This year’s analysis shows clear signs that weak demand in the global economy and rising uncertainty, including geopolitical tensions, are holding back FDI performance. The decline is also driven by protectionist industrial policies in the three major production regions Europe, Asia and North America.
Download the report for a full overview of the results.
