Foreign direct investment in France
Foreign direct investment in France stood at 4,779 EUR million in Jul 2026, according to Eurostat – balance of payments by country, monthly (bop_c6_m), compiled by Banque de France. It is one of the indicators in the Monthly balance of payments table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jan 2008 to Jul 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Monthly balance of payments table
| Indicator | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | 10-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial account, liabilities (foreign investment in France) | |||||||||||
| Direct investment in France | 4,779 | 3,153 | 7,462 | 4,897 | -4,797 | -3,245 | -3,590 | 7,841 | 8,613 | 5,628 | |
| Portfolio investment in France | 20,422 | 56,774 | 18,811 | 28,504 | 105,995 | 27,534 | -1,304 | 37,489 | 2,243 | -47,377 |
Understanding foreign direct investment in France
Inflows of foreign capital into domestic enterprises intended to secure a lasting management interest are quantified in this series. Included are foreign acquisitions of domestic equity capital, reinvested earnings attributable to foreign parent companies, and net debt transactions between affiliated firms. Excluded are non-resident purchases of minority shares that do not grant voting influence or management participation.
Reading these figures requires distinguishing between greenfield expansions, corporate takeovers, and internal debt restructuring among affiliates, as each carries different implications for productive capacity. Monthly data can be volatile due to the timing of individual large-scale corporate transactions. Analysts should monitor medium-term averages rather than individual monthly releases to gauge sustained external interest in domestic enterprise ownership.
Frequently asked questions
- What defines foreign direct investment in this context?
- Non-resident entities holding at least ten percent of voting power in a domestic enterprise.
- Are intercompany loans from a foreign parent to a domestic affiliate included?
- Yes, debt transactions between affiliated enterprises form a component of direct investment liabilities.
- Why is this measure useful for economic analysis?
- It indicates the willingness of foreign investors to commit permanent capital and management resources to domestic businesses.