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Thematic Analysis
FDI Trends in APAC (2025)
Overall, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region experienced significant growth in inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for 2024. This growth was primarily focused on sectors such as renewables, communications/media, and electronics, with the United States, United Kingdom, and France identified as major investors. In 2025, increasing trade barriers and geopolitical tensions are altering the landscape of APAC FDI. While protectionist measures and security-driven screening are redirecting some investments, such as semiconductors from Taiwan, towards the United States, resilient markets like India and...
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Analyst Opinions
Industrial Robots: Trends and Innovations
Industrial Robots move from automation to autonomy Industrial robotics is entering a new phase of transformation as intelligent, mobile, and humanoid systems reshape automation across sectors. Evolving beyond traditional caged robots, next-generation platforms integrate AI, computer vision, digital twins, and advanced actuation to enable adaptive, flexible, and connected operations. Automotive, electronics, and aerospace remain core adopters, while healthcare, construction, and logistics are emerging growth frontiers. Companies such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Tesla are piloting humanoids for assembly and logistics, ABB,...
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Thematic Analysis
Artificial Intelligence in Automotive: Strategic Intelligence
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the automotive industry, transforming how vehicles are designed, manufactured, sold, and operated. As automakers face growing complexity from electrification, autonomous driving, ESG requirements, and heightened customer expectations, AI is becoming a core enabler of efficiency, differentiation, and long-term competitiveness. From predictive maintenance and supply chain optimization to advanced manufacturing automation and personalized in-car experiences, AI is embedded across the entire automotive value chain. Its impact extends beyond operational efficiency, fundamentally changing how automakers interact with...
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Thematic Analysis
China's Impact on the Automotive Industry: Strategic Intelligence
Report Value Proposition – Why This Matters for You China has become the driving force behind the transformation of the global automotive industry. Beyond being the world's largest automotive market, the country is setting new benchmarks in electric vehicles, battery technology, software-defined vehicles, manufacturing efficiency, and export growth. Its influence is reshaping global competition, accelerating innovation cycles, and redefining industry standards for automakers worldwide. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of China's growing impact on the automotive sector, examining the...
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Thematic Analysis
FDI Trends in Europe (2025)
Europe experienced a robust growth phase characterized by increased project numbers and capital expenditures from 2023 to 2024, . Europe's share in opened Greenfield Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects, dominated by Western Europe, rose to 40% in 2024. Despite visible FDI opportunity, Eurozone GDP growth stunted at 0.9% in 2024, with structural issues like low productivity, rapidly increasing bond yields, and energy costs weighing on industrial competitiveness Despite healthy levels of inward Greenfield FDI recorded in 2024, Europe’s FDI climate is facing the...
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Thematic Analysis
FDI Trends in North America (2025)
Canada’s FDI outlook remains rife with economic uncertainty, being intrinsically linked to the US. According to GlobalData’s FDI Database, the US constitutes approximately 45% of the 371 (announced) FDI projects in Canada’s inward FDI pipeline (from 2023 to close of Q2 2025). Prime Minister Mark Carney initially adopted a tough rhetoric, indicating a desire to renegotiate the USCMA trading agreement. Though, the current state-of-play reads that Canada has filed a WTO dispute contesting US tariff obligations, while elevated 35% tariffs...
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Company Insights
PACCAR: Digital Transformation Strategies
PACCAR Inc. (PACCAR) is an American automotive company specializing in the design and production of heavy, medium, and light-duty trucks under the DAF, Peterbilt, and Kenworth brand names. The company also designs and manufactures diesel engines, offers financial and information technology services, and distributes truck spare parts. It operates through several divisions and subsidiaries, namely Kenworth Truck Company, Peterbilt Motors Company, DAF Caminhões Brasil Indústria Ltda, DAF Trucks N.V. (DAF Trucks), PACCAR Parts, PACCAR Financial Corp, Leyland Trucks Ltd., and...
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Thematic Analysis
Electric Vehicles: Strategic Intelligence
The electric vehicle (EV) industry is undergoing significant transformations as shifts in supply chains reshape power dynamics globally.Electric vehicle adoption is already widespread in major economies, such as China and the US. However, range anxiety continues to hinder broader EV adoption. While electric car sales surged by 39% year-on-year from Q1 2024 to Q1 2025, many potential buyers remain hesitant due to concerns about charging availability and convenience. GlobalData forecasts in 2024, global battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales rose by...
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Thematic Analysis
Cloud Computing in Automotive: Strategic Intelligence
Cloud computing adoption is rapidly gaining traction in the automotive sector, particularly for applications such as centralized vehicle data management, connected car services, and predictive maintenance. Its significance is set to grow even further as it plays a crucial role in addressing four key industry challenges: enhancing vehicle electrification, modernizing manufacturing processes, improving operational efficiency, and bolstering cybersecurity. Cloud computing is essential for enabling other transformative technologies that will shape the future of automotive innovation, such as artificial intelligence (AI)...
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Thematic Analysis
FDI Trends in Africa (2025)
Overall, Africa’s share of global FDI remains small, however, investment opportunities across the continent are increasingly viewed as a growth frontier, presenting competitive long-term benefits. Notably, Africa continues to offer higher average profitability on FDI relative to other regions, despite ample structural deficiencies fueling a high-risk premium; this is supported by the fact that the largest 40 companies in Africa have annualized returns of 12.9% in the last year. GlobalData’s FDI Team expects FDI to diversifyaway from traditional, extractive industries...
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