United Kingdom Rises to Third Place Globally in Foreign Direct Investment Rankings

The United Kingdom GBhas secured its position as the world's third-largest destination for newly announced foreign direct investment projects, according to a report published by McKinsey on Thursday, January 15, 2026. The data shows the country rising from fourth place in the 2015 to 2019 period to overtake major competitors. Britain now trails only the United States USand India INin the global rankings for attracting new capital projects.

During the period from 2022 to 2025, the United Kingdomattracted an average of $85 billion annually in inflation-adjusted foreign direct investment inflows. This figure represents a 40 percent increase compared to levels recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic. This growth outpaced the global trend, as total announced foreign direct investment worldwide increased by 20 percent over the same timeframe. The findings arrive as the British government continues its stated objective to attract more foreign investment to address long-standing challenges with weak productivity and economic growth.