Overview
- The Cepal report published in June 2026 shows Mexico received $43,221 million of foreign direct investment in 2025, placing it second in Latin America behind Brazil.
- Most flows to Mexico were reinvested profits, which accounted for 64% of FDI in 2025 while new capital contributions made up only 17%, indicating growth came from firms already operating in the country.
- Announcements of new projects fell sharply across the region and hit Mexico especially hard, with the value of announced projects in Mexico down 43% and steep sector declines in autos, communications, and oil and gas.
- Cepal links investor caution to U.S. tariff moves and broader geopolitical uncertainty, and it notes U.S.-origin flows to the region fell 11% in 2025 while new announcements shifted toward telecom, digital economy and AI projects.
- Cepal urges faster, more effective execution of Mexico’s Plan México to convert retained reinvestment into fresh productive investment and warns methodological differences with Mexico’s Economy Ministry mean official totals can differ.