Mexico Reports Historic Inflow of Foreign Investment Amid Slowing Domestic Economy

Mexico reported a record level of foreign direct investment in the third quarter despite uncertainty surrounding U.S. trade policy, according to preliminary government figures released this week.

Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said that from January to September the country received nearly $41 billion in foreign inflows, a 15 percent increase over the same period last year and the highest amount since official records began.

Ebrard told reporters that about $6.5 billion of the total came from new investments. "That means confidence in President Claudia Sheinbaum's government, that means a positive expectation in favor of Mexico, and that consolidates a trend because in the previous quarter we also saw growth," he said, as El Pais reports.

The full investment report has not yet been published, but Ebrard said the United States accounted for roughly 30 percent of inflows, followed by Spain, the Netherlands, Japan, and Canada. He added that recent projects include data centers, energy investments, infrastructure, and financial-sector expansion.

According to Ebrard, foreign investment has grown consistently since 2018 despite global uncertainty driven by U.S. tariff policy.

The new record comes as Mexico's economy contracted 0.3 percent in the third quarter due to declines in manufacturing, construction, mining, and energy. Ebrard acknowledged uneven performance, saying international investors hold a "very positive" perception of the country, particularly following the review of the USMCA trade agreement, but that domestic investment still lags. "The challenge is that our national investment is placed on the same track," he said.

The Mexican government has also announced a new collaboration with the Barcelona Supercomputing Center to establish a national supercomputing unit. Beginning in January, Mexico will operate its own supercomputer using Spanish infrastructure, while data processing will remain under Mexican authority.

Foreign direct investment has grown 69 percent between 2018 and 2025, as Infobae reports. Ebrard said the increase reflects global investor decisions "to bet on Mexico beyond initial forecasts," and noted that new investments rose from $2 billion to $6.5 billion compared with the previous year.

He also pointed to strong export performance despite tariffs. According to the Economy Ministry, exports grew from $450.9 billion in 2018 to $668.7 billion in 2024, driven largely by machinery, electrical equipment, and transportation goods.