Global flows of foreign direct investment (FDI) have been declining for several years, well before the pandemic hit in early 2020. While these flows can be cyclical, as with any other type of investment, they have been falling both in absolute amounts and relative to overall GDP for several years, causing many to wonder whether there has been a structural change in the global economy. OECD’s Stephen Thomsen takes a look at this worrying trend and at what governments can do about it.