40 years since the EU flag was raised in front of our headquarters in Brussels for the very first time. Twelve stars. A single market. Four decades of standing together for unity, solidarity, and diversity. The symbol that fosters Europeans’ sense of community. 🇪🇺

Pleasure sitting down with @mattmeyerde.bsky.social this month to hear the reality behind the rhetoric about firms moving their incorporations out of Delaware. The numbers speak for themselves. No state worldwide can replicate trust established over 100+ years of legal precedent ft.trib.al/zso9t0S

10 years ago China's Midea acquired German robotics group Kuka for €4.5bn. It helped catalyse the EU's pivot towards stronger national security screening, protecting strategic industries and its "loss of naivety" re FDI. But does the outcome today suggest things ahve gone to far? ft.trib.al/yPwSs55

A critical minerals mine redeveloped by Bunker Hill Mining in the US north-west will open in June after being closed more than 4 decades. Its one of many dormant mines the company plans to reopen as part of its plan to become a mid-cap diversified US miner www.fdiintelligence.com/content/666e...

North Carolina's governor didn't mince his words describing Trump's stance on offshore wind — particularly paying two European developers to cancel projects and reinvest in oil and gas. Highlights from my interview with @joshsteinnc.bsky.social this month www.fdiintelligence.com/content/67e3...

In the latest Economic Security Watch podcast I spoke with Mark Wall, CEO of American Rare Earths, about its bid to create a China-free supply chain. It's not about security, he told me. "It's a matter of survival". Full episode here: www.fdiintelligence.com/video/f69598...

Democrat and Republican governors agree that tackling electricity and water issues is the best way to contain side effects from data centres. Bans or moratoriums are not the solution, despite community pushback. #NorthCarolina #Oklahoma www.fdiintelligence.com/content/a2c6...

In the US for SelectUSA Investment Summit this week and one takeaway is how hard Chinese firms — across industries — are finding it hard to grow here. My interview with Nebraska's governor Jim Pillen reveals the sentiment among some leaders. www.fdiintelligence.com/content/7b6d...

Beijing's yesterday blocking Meta's $2bn acquisition of Manus has shocked investors and shows China will not allow 'Singapore-washing' for strategic technologies. Beijing has put Chinese founders wanting to inernationalize, and foreign investors, on notice ft.trib.al/gtfExJy #Meta #Manus #Metamanus

Our first episode of the Economic Security Podcast is out. I spoke with Genenta Science's CEO Pierluigi Paracchi about its transformation from biotech to industrial consolidator of scale-ups aligning with Italy's golden power framework. Full episode here: www.fdiintelligence.com/video/70c2af...

More college students are building startups instead of getting beaten down by a bad job market

Economic Security Watch is growing. Our first podcast episode drops next week — here is a glimpse of what we have in store for this monthly series. www.fdiintelligence.com/video/521a57...

Heading to SelectUSA Investment Summit in May? DM me if you'll be there and want to talk all things - the good and the not so good - about investing in the US.

#TikTok's US divestiture is facing new scrutiny this month. A lawsuit led by @publicintegritylaw.bsky.social claims the ownership structure doesn't create enough distance with Beijing and breaches the 2024 law requiring its sale. Thanks to @brendanballou.bsky.social for insights ft.trib.al/6aWMKnl

Iran says it will start targeting US-linked tech assets in the Gulf. Foreign-owned ports, buildings and energy assets have already been hit and expats killed. But the Gulf's IPAs and FDI advisors firmly believe in the region's resilience —even if some projects are being paused ft.trib.al/5Cl8jQK

The EU Industrial Accelerator Act has eased its draft 49% universal cap for FDI in strategic sectors. But Chines and other investors in batteries, EV, photovoltaics and #criticalminerals face tough new rules. My take on the #IAA and EU Ports Strategy (which also targets China): ft.trib.al/m081TIe

The US's uptick in FDI under Trump 2.0 has not not been equally distributed across the economy. Projects in traditional FDI magnets like software and IT, and areas framed as national priorities like biotech, have dropped compared with the Biden era ft.trib.al/dES81u2

Trust and the ability to bridge seemingly irreconcilable differences are the crux of delivering FDI. These are qualities that FDI consistently rewards, yet undervalues. And women have spent years honing them with little fanfare, writes Zoë Harries #IWD2026 #InternationalWomensDay ft.trib.al/SQlAyPK

Iran's retaliatory strikes to US-Israel attacks are hitting commercial and civilian sites across the #GCC — in the Middle East's biggest FDI magnets thanks to years of work building reputations for safety and stability ft.trib.al/mXQuIkO Insights from @reziemba.bsky.social and others. #Iranwar

Epstein helped facilitate the £1.5bn London Gateway port project — from his Florida jail — by coordinating dialogue between DP World's then CEO Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem and UK business secretary Mandelson. Story by fDi's editor here ft.trib.al/uY9Ko6I #Epsteinfiles #LondonGateway #Epstein

No amount of EU policies and white papers will cut its dependency on China for critical minerals. It must mobilise more funding for the industry, and quickly. Chris Beatty of critical minerals investor TechMet Ltd presents an EU game plan to better utilise its stretched finances: ft.trib.al/VxrAxya

Pushback against China-linked ports in #Panama, #Australia and Europe signal Beijing's "glory days" of growing its global network of marine hubs are being challenged by economic security and geoeconomic agendas. Insights by @merics.bsky.social @cfr.org among others. My latest here ft.trib.al/9TaVrSn

The EU's new #FDI screening regime promises to align the bloc's patchwork of rules and ease capital flows. But its success depends on member states avoiding gold-plating and following the spirit of alignment, warn Malte Lohan and Andrew Hill of the AmCham EU ft.trib.al/3nHpXYy #nationalsecurity

#Venezuela's creditors are battling their claims in US courts. But irrespective of the outcome, their right to recoup what they are owed boils down to sanctions approvals from the Treasury. The latest Global Lawyer column by @jchaisse.bsky.social has all the details ft.trib.al/34TMJCP

A leaked draft of the EU #Ports Strategy proposes tighter scrutiny of FDI and control regarding maritime infrastructure, making Brussels the latest source of pushback against #China’s global ports network ft.trib.al/rH9UFUY

Breaking! Brussels celebrates Chinese new year by opening explosive new probe into Shein that could see the platform banned from the EU over sales of "childlike sex dolls", among other misdemeanours

A hyperscaler rush into #Querétaro in central Mexico has made it Latin America's 3rd biggest data centre hub. But blackouts, worsening water shortages and speculation over job pledges means its tech boom may become a cautionary tale, argues @nyusterncbhr.bsky.social's Luke Barnes ft.trib.al/ZrDGXJK

#Kenya’s decision to establish a #SWF alongside an infrastructure fund is gathering steam. Ali Saber of @sussex.ac.uk argues these vehicles must continue Africa's push to forge 'sovereign investment partnerships' with SWFs in the Gulf and beyond ft.trib.al/m65eOCY

The #SCOTUS ruling on liberation day #tariffs could come as soon as February 20. With a group of small importers leading the charge, the lawsuit lays bare the difficulty big firms face in contesting the Trump administration’s unorthodox policies ft.trib.al/g2c3btE

#Saudi Arabia’s bid to attract $64bn in investment under a revamped PPP programme is its latest attempt to diversify the petrostate economy, and comes as the government reins in public spending and giga projects. My latest here ft.trib.al/Rh7952s With insights from @reziemba.bsky.social among others

CIP's acquisition of Orsted's €1.44bn onshore European business brings into sharp focus the diverging paths of the region’s onshore and offshore renewables. My latest on the transfer of gigawatts of development rights, with insights from @woodmac.com among others.

The world is no longer big enough for the US and #China, and the next chapter of corporate growth and resilience may require picking between the two, argues @abishurprakash.bsky.social. Companies must realise that the "space for neutrality is shrinking". ft.trib.al/2MpWUAb #Geopolitics

There are lingering fears that if the Supreme Court strikes down #Trump’s liberation day #tariffs, it could be on the condition of no refunds. I spoke to companies and advisors about why they are on "pins and needles" about reimbursements ft.trib.al/NditQji #SCOTUS

The first foreign investors are entering post-war #Syria. Instability is rightfully still front of mind. But with the right preparations "there are significant opportunities for first movers" write Roger Matthews and Rupert Ekblom of Dentons in this op-ed for fDi ft.trib.al/SPu0VIs

A major reshuffle of Abu Dhabi’s $1.8tn sovereign wealth fund industry sees the emergence of a new heavyweight called L’IMAD, disappearance of #ADQ and signals that the emirate is doubling down on using SWFs to attract foreign capital to help diversify its economy ft.trib.al/R99hXQA #SWF #AbuDhabi

A leaked draft of the Industrial Accelerator Act has huge restrictions on FDI: a 49% cap on "emerging key strategic sectors", tech and knowhow transfer mandates, quotas on local workers and more. Likely to be watered down before formal release. But the starting point is astounding ft.trib.al/428KN03

Didn't get Economic Security Watch in your inbox this week? Here's what you missed: British MPs fear Ming Yang is the country's new Huawei moment Your company needs a 'geoeconomic moat' Trump 2.0 sets executive order record Sign up here to receive it every month www.fdiintelligence.com/esw

A handful British MPs across the political spectrum told me that Chinese offshore wind turbine group Ming Yang's plans to invest in and serve the UK raise similar security concerns to those that saw #Huawei banned from 5G in 2020 ft.trib.al/5lPcAr #MingYang #offshorewind #scotland

Messages from Davos are still reverberating throughout the investment world. Carney's call for middle powers to counter ruptures to the rules-based order is a big request. But it's one that John Ferguson of Economist Impact believes is feasible ft.trib.al/FBrjf0t

Pressure on the European Council to debut the Anti-Coercion Instrument against the US in retaliation for Trump's threats over Greenland's sovereignty are growing by the day. Germany joining alongside France would be the tipping point ft.trib.al/nWPyG3h

It's been one year of Trump 2.0. Here are his five biggest foreign investment wins and five most spectacular foreign investment failures since he returned to office www.fdiintelligence.com/content/9db9...

The US's grand plan to put itself at the centre of FDI and trade in Venezuela's oil is taking shape. So much attention to the (big) commercial doubts about reviving the industry. But the mechanics of how Washington plans to manage this are also fascinating: www.fdiintelligence.com/content/6d3a...

Sanae #Takaichi is known as a China hawk and a Thatcher admirer. Reputations compounded by Tokyo-Beijing tensions hitting a decade-high in her two short months in office. But labels defy the complexity of the new PM's security agenda www.fdiintelligence.com/content/b6b4... #TokyoBeijing #Taiwan

New economic security reports by the US, EU and UK reveal just how far apart they are in tackling these emerging risks. The White House policy makes for grim reading — particularly for those in Europe — but the rhetoric can't overshadow the complex reality of policymaking in the US on.ft.com/3KCuM2r

The biggest update of the EU’s economic security strategy in nearly two years promises more assertive use of its geoeconomic tools, new possibilities to condition inbound FDI on tech transfer, and a big focus on protecting start-ups and knowhow from 'hostile' acquisitions on.ft.com/48yzqWS

Geopolitics is shifting the investment landscape, and investment promotion must shift with it writes Bruno Casella of @unctad.bsky.social . Tariffs are prompting investors to consider uprooting supply chains, and IPAs must now help them navigate these high-stakes decisions. on.ft.com/3XqYrOT

#Africa's 2026 FDI prospects are improving. Greenfield projects will follow in the footsteps of the boom in key markets' portfolio assets. And the flow of Gulf capital into the continent will continue its upward trajectory. fDi's latest by @frontiercharlie.bsky.social here: on.ft.com/4pKnclh

Of all the deals struck in MBS's visit to the US last week, one with true potential is the MP Materials-Maaden rare earth refinery in Saudi. Another eg of state-backed capital driving FDI location decisions. But it does make commercial sense on.ft.com/4ilbbju Tx to @reziemba.bsky.social among others

As the EU ratchets up investment screening across more industries, the bloc faces a quandary. Is the rigour of these national security regimes undermining their original objective of #defence? Screening is complicating the much-needed intra-EU consolidation and US investment on.ft.com/482oGRN

Saudi's #SWF PIF buying one of the US's biggest gaming groups raises national security red flags. #Cfius can address some. But resolving foreign influence risks — from a country with a questionable human rights record — via what's akin to a social media platform is a head-scratcher on.ft.com/3XCx04z