Do outward flows include the purchase of foreign equities for financial investment?

Only transactions creating or forming part of a direct investment relationship are covered; portfolio investments are recorded separately.

Does a negative value mean capital is returning to the US?

On a net basis, it can reflect divestment, debt recovery, or distributions exceeding new investments.

Can this indicator be used to assess corporate acquisitions on its own?

No, because total flows also incorporate reinvested earnings and internal debt transactions.

US Outward Foreign Direct Investment

Name: US Outward Foreign Direct Investment
Creator: FED (Z.1) via FRED; BEA (International Transactions)
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

US Outward Foreign Direct Investment stood at 103,229 USD million in Q2 2026, according to FED (Z.1) via FRED; BEA (International Transactions). It is one of the indicators in the Foreign direct investment in the US table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q1 1982 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.

Source: FED (Z.1) via FRED; BEA (International Transactions)Last updated: Sep 24, 2026, 22:35 UTCCurated by Bui Thanh Phuc

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This indicator in the Foreign direct investment in the US table

Indicator	Q2-2026	Q1-2026	Q4-2025	Q3-2025	Q2-2025	Q1-2025	Q4-2024	Q3-2024	Q2-2024	Q1-2024
US outward FDI flows2	103,229	93,355	135,832	90,935	-22,326	136,821	22,111	105,149	28,982	94,650
Equity capital	85,371	103,267	107,849	99,106	32,616	110,627	26,154	82,202	68,978	85,360
Debt instruments	17,858	-9,912	27,983	-8,171	-54,942	26,194	-4,043	22,947	-39,996	9,290

Understanding US Outward Foreign Direct Investment

US direct investment abroad measures net direct investment transactions by US resident investors with foreign enterprises with which they share a direct investment relationship. Total flows typically combine equity capital, reinvested earnings, and debt instruments, while also accounting for reverse investment based on the directional principle. This indicator measures outward investment, contrasting with foreign direct investment in the United States, and excludes portfolio investments that do not establish a direct investment relationship.

Frequently asked questions

Do outward flows include the purchase of foreign equities for financial investment?: Only transactions creating or forming part of a direct investment relationship are covered; portfolio investments are recorded separately.
Does a negative value mean capital is returning to the US?: On a net basis, it can reflect divestment, debt recovery, or distributions exceeding new investments.
Can this indicator be used to assess corporate acquisitions on its own?: No, because total flows also incorporate reinvested earnings and internal debt transactions.