What the sources establish
- UNCTAD reported a 6% increase in global FDI in 2025.
- Developed-economy inflows rose 11%; developing-economy inflows rose 2%.
- The top twenty host economies attracted over 80% of global FDI.
How to read the bigger picture
More cross-border capital is not automatically more productive investment everywhere. Location, sector, and project composition determine whether an inflow expands capacity, employment, or technology transfer.
What we should keep in view
- Headline FDI can include financial movements without new facilities.
- Flows are distinct from investment stocks and announced projects.
- Annual aggregates do not establish gains in every recipient economy.
What would change the picture?
- Separate productive projects from headline financial flows.
- Compare host-country concentration with development outcomes.
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