See what a high band reads like.

P1The bar chart illustrates foreign direct investment inflows as a share of GDP in five economies in 2010 and 2020.

P2Overall, Singapore led in both years, and Ireland remained second despite a substantial fall that brought it closer to the UK. However, Ireland experienced a dramatic decline over the decade, whereas Singapore remained comparatively stable.

P3In 2010, Singapore led with 23.07% of GDP, followed by Ireland at 17.02%. The remaining three economies, the UK, China, and the USA, recorded much smaller inflows of 2.67%, 3.94%, and 1.75% respectively. By 2020, Singapore's share had barely changed at 22.72%, while Ireland's fell sharply to just 8.09%, a decline of slightly more than half over the decade.

P4Among the lower-ranked economies, the UK more than doubled its share from 2.67% to 5.77%, whereas China and the USA both declined, from 3.94% to 1.69% and from 1.75% to 0.65% respectively. By 2020 the UK had therefore moved into third place, overtaking China, having already been above the USA in 2010. The most striking feature overall is the contrast between Singapore's relative stability at the top and the substantial falls recorded by Ireland, China, and the USA.