Tracker | First half 2026
LATAM FDI Tracker
Foreign direct investment is the clearest signal of where long-term money thinks the growth is. Last updated 25 October 2026.
Year-over-year change in first-half FDI
| Market | H1 2026 FDI | Change | What drove it | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | US$34.97B | +2.1% (record) | About 90% reinvested earnings; manufacturing US$13.48B | Secretaría de Economía, 26 Aug 2026 |
| Colombia | US$4.31B | -12% | Oil and mining about 81% of inflows; other sectors weaker | Banco de la República, balanza cambiaria |
| Dominican Republic | US$3.28B | +7.7% (record, preliminary) | Energy 27.8%, tourism 20.1%, real estate 12.4% | BCRD |
| Costa Rica | US$2.74B ex-deal (US$5.94B incl.) | +23.4% ex-deal (preliminary) | Free zones US$1.74B (+35%); tourism FDI down 27% | Procomer and BCCR via Delfino.cr, 1 Oct 2026 |
| Panama | US$792.4M | Rebound from net divestment | 73% reinvested earnings | MEF, Oct 2026 |
Our read
Reinvested earnings dominate the big numbers in Mexico and Panama, meaning the money is mostly companies already there doubling down. Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic show more fresh momentum: Costa Rica through free zones, the Dominican Republic through new capital, which made up 67% of its first-half inflows according to BCRD figures reported by Acento. Colombia is the outlier, with inflows concentrated in extractives.
Each country measures FDI differently (balance of payments vs registered or cash-flow data), so compare direction and drivers, not just totals. Informational only; not investment advice. See our methodology.