Global FDI Rebounded in 2025, But the Recovery Is Narrow and Highly Concentrated
Investment remained uneven, with greenfield activity concentrated in data centres, AI and semiconductors.
Investment remained uneven, with greenfield activity concentrated in data centres, AI and semiconductors.
Fast-growing Asian economies span frontier markets, manufacturing hubs and large domestic systems, highlighting uneven pathways to scale.
Global gas trade is in a new phase in 2026 amid a structural shift from pipelines to shipborne LNG.
China’s exports to Africa grew 26% in 2025, led by machinery, vehicles and light manufacturing, while imports expanded only modestly.
Total retail sales expanded steadily over the past decade, while online retail grew much faster, lifting digital penetration to 32% by 2025.
The volatility and geographic concentration of investment flows raises questions about Africa’s ability to sustain momentum into 2026 and beyond.
Fixed asset investment has continued to expand steadily, but growth has slowed in recent years, with the sharpest declines in real estate and construction.
Asia accounts for over half of China’s trade, but growth momentum is shifting toward developing regions, especially Africa and Latin America.
Electricity generation rose 2.2% in 2025, as thermal output declined for the first time in a decade, with strong gains in solar and wind.
With commodity exports down from 2021, faster growth in machinery, electronics and transport imports has narrowed Australia’s trade surplus.