According to data from greenfield investment monitor fDi Markets, FDI into Spain was down by 12% in the first nine months of 2012, compared to the same period in 2011. Between January 2012 and September 2012, a total of 161 FDI projects were recorded, representing total capital investment of $904.9m. In the first nine months of 2011, 182 FDI projects were recorded, representing total capital investment of $1.19bn.

While FDI into the Spanish capital of Madrid remained relatively unchanged during the period – with 43 projects recorded in 2012 compared to 44 in 2011 – FDI into Barcelona doubled from 29 projects in 2011 to 58 in 2012. Capital expenditure also reflected this increase, with total capital investment of $230.9m recorded in Barcelona between January and September 2012, an increase of 381% on the same period in 2011, when capital investment amounted to just $48m.

Some of the companies announcing investment projects in Barcelona in the first nine months of 2012 included France-based consulting firm Altran Technologies and Germany-based personal care company Henkel.