New Delhi, June 19 -- Global foreign direct investment (FDI) declined 11% in calendar year 2024 to $1.5 trillion, marking a second consecutive year of double-digit contraction, while international project finance deals slumped 27%, the United Nations said Thursday. Investment activity weakened sharply, particularly in major economies such as China and India.

The World Investment Report 2025 by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) noted that after stripping out financial flows routed through European conduit economies, global FDI actually rose 4% last year. But overall, the report offers a sober assessment of global investment trends, especially in developing Asia, which remains the world's largest recipient region.

FDI in...