Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence Index

The Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index is a regular survey of global executives conducted by A.T. Kearney. The Index provides a unique look at the present and future prospects for international investment flows. Companies participating in the survey account for more than $2 trillion in annual global revenue.

Current Research

Cautious Investors Feed a Tentative Recovery – The 2012 A.T. Kearney FDI Confidence Index®

The prospects for near-term recovery are still shaky more than three years since the onset of the global economic crisis, and debt crises loom large. In the 2012 A.T. Kearney Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence Index®, we find that FDI flows have picked up slightly in the past two years as investors cautiously reenter the markets. However, this modest optimism could quickly revert to retrenchment as investors weigh potential upside opportunities against downside risks.

The 2012 A.T. Kearney FDI Confidence Index examines future prospects for FDI flows as the world seeks to recover from the global recession and continued economic uncertainty in Europe and the United States. The Index, which first appeared in 1998, assesses the impact of political, economic, and regulatory changes on the FDI intentions and preferences of the leaders of top companies around the world.

Full Report

Media highlights

A.T. Kearney FDI Confidence Index Forecasts Emerging Markets to Rise Relative to Developed Countries Over Next Two Years
7 December 2011 — atkearney.com
Conducted regularly over the last 13 years by global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney, the Index provides a unique look at the present and future prospects for international direct investment flows.

Past reports

Investing in a Rebound
The 2010 A.T. Kearney FDI Confidence Index®

FDI flows will remain disappointing through 2011, according to the 2010 A.T. Kearney Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index, a regular assessment of senior executive sentiment at the world’s largest companies. The Index also found executives are wary of making investments in the current economic climate and revealed that they expect the economic turnaround to happen no earlier than 2011. Half of the companies surveyed also report that they are postponing investments as a result of market uncertainty and difficulties in obtaining credit.

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New Concerns in an Uncertain World
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence Index 2007

As 2007 turned into 2008, investors were once again operating on unstable ground. But despite significant obstacles, foreign direct investment (FDI) continued to rise in 2007, and global investors are optimistic about opportunities in the developing world.

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Global FDI Recovery Clouded By Savings Glut Overhang
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence Index 2005

China, India, and Eastern Europe have reached new heights of attractiveness as foreign direct investment destinations and increasingly will challenge traditional R&D locations in the industrialized world.

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China and India Jockey for the Top Most Attractive Foreign Direct Investment Destination Globally While the U.S. Is Challenged by These Rapidly Evolving Economies
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence Index 2004

Global executives see the best business environment since 2000, yet a return to positive global FDI flows could be complicated by a new mix of operational risks.

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