FDI into North America increased by 14% in 2018, with total capital investment of $113.6bn, as per The fDi Report 2019 from fDi Intelligence. Projects numbers remained stable at 1896 FDI projects.

The US remained the top destination in the region, attracting 83% of the continent’s FDI projects and 59% of capital invested. However, this is a decrease on 2017’s market share of 87%. California and New York remained the top two destination states in 2018 for FDI project numbers. Together, the two destinations accounted for 21% of FDI project numbers in North America during 2018. Capital investment into Louisiana increased dramatically in 2018, attracting $11.1bn-worth of investment. This is largely due to the announcement of Formosa Petrochemical’s $9.4bn chemical manufacturing complex in St James Parish.

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The number of FDI projects into Canada increased from 259 in 2017 to 315 in 2018. Total capital investment into the country also increased by 256%. Owing to a $29bn liquefied natural gas export facility near Kitimat by Shell and partners, British Columbia attracted $32bn-worth of FDI in 2018, a huge increase from the $1.3bn recorded in 2017. The Canadian province was the top location in North America by capital investment. Ontario remained the top Canadian province for FDI in 2018, with a 7% market share of North American FDI projects. The province attracted 20% more projects in 2018 than it did in 2017, with 138 recorded projects.

Capital investment from North American companies investing overseas increased by 33%, up from $124bn in 2017 to $164.9bn, in 2018. Both the US and Canada experienced rises in outward capital investment, by 30% and 61%, respectively. The top three states for outward capital investment were California, Texas and New York, which invested $45.8bn, $16.6bn and $11.5bn, respectively. In terms of FDI projects, California and New York were the two largest North American investors, with a combined market share of 42%. Ontario was the sole Canadian representation in the top 10 table for outward FDI, accounting for 5% of North American outward capital investment.

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