FDI into 17 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, including France, Germany, Japan, the UK and the US, fell by half in the first quarter of 2009, compared with the final quarter of 2008. This is according to OECD estimates, which include all forms of crossborder investment.

The figures show that if the rate of decline persists through 2009, total FDI into the 30 OECD countries will fall to about $500bn this year from a 2008 total of $1200bn.