Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sweden
Sweden: Foreign direct investment, net outflows was 1.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sweden, 1970–2025
Source: Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Sweden recorded 1.2% for foreign direct investment, net outflows in 2025.
That represents a change of down 75.6% on the previous year and down 57.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sweden peaked at 15.3% in 2000 and was at its lowest, -0.3%, in 2014.
Sweden ranks 47th of 191 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sweden, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.6% | — |
| 1971 | 0.4% | -24.3% |
| 1972 | 0.5% | +27.9% |
| 1973 | 0.5% | -8.7% |
| 1974 | 0.7% | +32.1% |
| 1975 | 0.5% | -19.6% |
| 1976 | 0.7% | +27.3% |
| 1977 | 0.8% | +17.0% |
| 1978 | 0.4% | -49.0% |
| 1979 | 0.5% | +25.8% |
| 1980 | 0.4% | -12.2% |
| 1981 | 0.6% | +44.8% |
| 1982 | 1.1% | +66.5% |
| 1983 | 1.4% | +31.1% |
| 1984 | 1.4% | -1.2% |
| 1985 | 1.6% | +15.4% |
| 1986 | 2.6% | +66.5% |
| 1987 | 2.6% | -0.8% |
| 1988 | 3.6% | +38.2% |
| 1989 | 4.7% | +30.9% |
| 1990 | 5.6% | +18.3% |
| 1991 | 2.7% | -52.6% |
| 1992 | 0.1% | -94.4% |
| 1993 | 0.7% | +368.9% |
| 1994 | 2.9% | +322.7% |
| 1995 | 4.3% | +46.0% |
| 1996 | 1.8% | -59.0% |
| 1997 | 4.5% | +158.0% |
| 1998 | 10.3% | +127.2% |
| 1999 | 8.9% | -13.4% |
| 2000 | 15.3% | +72.2% |
| 2001 | 6.1% | -60.2% |
| 2002 | 6.2% | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 6.7% | +7.3% |
| 2004 | 7.3% | +9.6% |
| 2005 | 9.8% | +33.3% |
| 2006 | 5.1% | -47.7% |
| 2007 | 11.4% | +123.1% |
| 2008 | 6.8% | -40.8% |
| 2009 | 6.1% | -9.8% |
| 2010 | 4.5% | -26.3% |
| 2011 | 4.2% | -7.2% |
| 2012 | 3.2% | -23.6% |
| 2013 | 4.8% | +50.9% |
| 2014 | -0.3% | -106.0% |
| 2015 | 2.8% | -1089.6% |
| 2016 | -0.0% | -100.1% |
| 2017 | 7.2% | -213704.8% |
| 2018 | 2.4% | -66.1% |
| 2019 | 4.1% | +68.3% |
| 2020 | 4.1% | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 10.0% | +145.4% |
| 2022 | 11.0% | +9.9% |
| 2023 | 7.2% | -35.0% |
| 2024 | 4.9% | -31.4% |
| 2025 | 1.2% | -75.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.0% | 0.4% | 4.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.2% | 0.1% | 10.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.1% | 5.1% | 15.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.3% | -0.3% | 7.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.4% | 1.2% | 11.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More economy & growth data for Sweden
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.62 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.12 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), annual growth rate 12.14 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2547 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current US$), per capita 16,078 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), annual growth rate 4.21 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per unit of GDP 2.5 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (current LCU), per capita 157,898 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 2.77 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.2174 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sweden?
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows in Sweden was 1.2% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D.
- What is the highest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 15.3% in 2000.
- What is the lowest foreign direct investment, net outflows recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.3% in 2014.
- How does Sweden rank for foreign direct investment, net outflows?
- Sweden ranks 47th out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is foreign direct investment, net outflows rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 57.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sweden data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), note: International Monetary Fund, Balance of Payments database, supplemented by data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and D, published as part of Foreign direct investment, net outflows (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Foreign direct investment refers to direct investment equity flows in an economy. It is the sum of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and other capital. Direct investment is a category of cross-border investment associated with a resident in one economy having control or a significant degree of influence on the management of an enterprise that is resident in another economy. Ownership of 10 percent or more of the ordinary shares of voting stock is the criterion for determining the existence of a direct investment relationship. This series shows net outflows of investment from the reporting economy to the rest of the world, and is divided by GDP.