The updated Kearney FDI Confidence Index update ranks Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico as Latin America’s top international investment attractors.
The Index assesses global investor confidence and ranks countries based on their attractiveness for foreign direct investments.
Notably, Mexico ascended to the 21st position, marking its return to the top 25 most favored nations for global investors since a four-year hiatus.
Brazil stands as the premier destination in the region, securing the 19th spot.
This represents Brazil’s comeback into the rankings, reinforcing its position from prior years except for a miss in 2023.
Argentina’s notable achievement in this edition was its re-entry at the 24th position, outperforming Denmark and marking its first appearance in over a decade.
The resurgence has been linked to Mexico’s adoption of nearshoring strategies and Argentina’s recent political shift towards market-friendly policies under Javier Milei’s government.
Before the political shift, Argentina’s FDI inflows surged to $15.1 billion in 2022 from $6.8 billion in 2021, highlighting growing interest in it as an attractive investment destination.
U.S. China, U.K. and Germany lead
The United States continues to lead the global chart as the prime destination for FDI, followed by Canada, China, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
This list has remained relatively consistent, highlighting the enduring appeal of these countries to foreign investors.
Argentina’s resurgence has notably positioned it above other historically stable investment destinations in the region, such as Chile and Uruguay.
In rankings focused on emerging markets, Argentina placed eighth, surpassing Chile and Uruguay, which debuted at 14th and 23rd places, respectively.
Peru, grappling with extended political instability, finds itself below Argentina, positioned at the twentieth spot, underscoring the critical role political stability plays in attracting foreign investments.
This shift in the rankings underscores a dynamic change in the investment landscape of Latin America, with Argentina’s rise highlighting the region’s evolving attractiveness to foreign capital.