Foreign Direct Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean 2008. LC/G.2406

In 2008, inward foreign direct investment (FDI) in Latin America and the Caribbean rose to a new record high despite slowing with respect to the previous year, and the region's outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) reached its second highest level ever. Considering the economic and financial turmoil of the times, these results are surprisingly positive, but caution needs to be exercised in their interpretation. Many of the investments carried out in 2008 reflected the inertia effects of pre-crisis market trends, and capital flows in 2009 are in fact expected to fall.