Guest blog post by Leeann Ji, Intern, SelectUSA

The United States welcomes foreign investment, and the numbers show that investors have confidence in the opportunities here. With a population of 320 million and a GDP that’s over $18 trillion, our nation is home to more foreign direct investment (FDI) stock than any other country: $2.9 trillion as of 2014. The U.S. affiliates of foreign companies directly employ 6.1 million people in the United States, and they spent $53 billion on American research and development in 2013.

These numbers paint the big picture and America’s Data Agency, the U.S. Department of Commerce, provides a wide range of data that companies looking to invest in the United States need to inform their decision-making strategies.

Looking for U.S. economic data and analysis? The U.S. Government Pavilion in the Exhibition Hall at the 2016 SelectUSA Investment Summit will have representatives from federal agencies that can help participants find and understand U.S. economic indicators. They include:

• The Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) which performs high-quality economic analysis, disseminates national economic indicators   and fosters the mission of the U.S. Census Bureau (Census) , the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and the Office of the Chief Economist (OCE).  OCE created the Assess Costs Everywhere (ACE) tool for businesses to evaluate locating in the U.S.;
• The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) is a trusted and impartial source of data and statistics on the U.S. economy. BEA data is comprehensive and available for free to all;
• The U.S. Census Bureau is the leading source of data about the nation's people and economy;
• The Commerce Data Service, which works across all Bureaus of the Department of Commerce to rapidly create and develop projects to advance the Department’s mission. The CDS is a team of data engineers, data scientists and technologists focused on applying user-centered design and agile methodologies to the process of data insight and product creation.  

Looking for data specifically on FDI? The new SelectUSA Stats is a data visualization tool that allows you to compare data on direct investment into the United States. The tool features interactive dashboards that display graphical data. The data, from sources like BEA, includes useful categories such as greenfield investment by country, U.S. FDI position and flow, and the characteristics of foreign companies operating in the United States.

Learn how to use this new tool! Sign up today for a free webinar on June 14, 2016. Two times are available: 12:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. EST. To register, please contact Micah Escobedo.

Looking to invest or find tools to help you attract investment? If you are coming to the SelectUSA Investment Summit, be sure to stop by the U.S. Government Pavilion, located across the lobby from the Exhibition Hall. If you aren’t able to attend in person, we are standing by to assist all year round. Please visit www.SelectUSA.gov and contact us to learn how we can help investors and U.S. economic development organizations with business investments in the United States.

Together, our colleagues work to ensure users have access to timely and reliable economic information to move their investments forward. We look forward to working with you!