Foreign Direct Investment 2009

Foreign direct investment (FDI) flows abroad by British companies totalled £21.2bn in 2009 down £78.1bn on 2008. It was the smallest net outward flow since 1994. The level of FDI by British companies at the end of 2009 was £1029.7bn down from a previous high of £1073.6bn at the end of 2008. Earnings from FDI by British companies were almost unchanged at £69.6bn in 2009.

Foreign companies invested £45.7bn in the UK in 2009 down £3.2bn on 2008 and the smallest inward flow since 2004. The level of FDI in the UK was £653.6bn from £660.4bn in 2008. Earnings by foreign companies increased by £23.4bn to £26.5bn in 2009.

The majority of the £21.2bn of flows invested in foreign companies was in Europe (£14.4bn) follwed by Africa (£6.6bn) and Asia (£5.5bn). Most of the earnings in 2009 were also made in Europe (£35.1bn). Europe also accounted for most of the £45.7bn invested in the UK (£27.5bn) follwed by the Americas (£20.6bn) while the Americas made the most earnings (£17.7bn).