Top 10 investments and infrastructure news of 2024

Here is my list of five global investment and five Philippines infrastructure stories of 2024.

- Bienvenido S. Oplas Jr.

For foreign direct investment (FDI), I use inward stock or inflows minus outflows per year accumulated through the years, and outward stock. Then I computed the net outward stock to reflect what countries are the net exporters of capital. A negative outward stock FDI means the country is net importer of capital. Data from UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Investment Report (WIR) 2024 released last June or July.

One, the largest net exporters of capital in Europe are Germany, Netherlands, France, Luxembourg and Switzerland. Their respective net outward stock of FDI in 2023 were $1.051 trillion, $708 billion, $623 billion, $495 billion and $336 billion. The largest net importers of capital are UK with -$925 billion, Poland with -$297 billion and Spain with -$267 billion.

Two, the largest net exporters of capital in Asia are Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Their respective net outward stock of FDI in 2023 were $1.886 trillion, $398 billion and $390 billion. The largest net importers of capital are Singapore with -$840 billion, China with -$721 billion, India with -$301 billion, Vietnam with -$215 billion and Indonesia with -$174 billion.

Three, in America the only net exporter of capital is Canada. Its net outward stock of FDI was $1.08 trillion. The largest net importers of capital are the US with -$3.383 trillion, Brazil with -$632 billion and Mexico with -$556 billion.