Barclays sees UK foreign-backed equity investment near £10 billion in H1 2026
BCS•Barclays research with Beauhurst put foreign-backed UK equity investment at nearly £10 billion in the first half of 2026. Foreign investors accounted for under 10% of UK equity deals since 2016 but contributed £127 billion, more than half of the value raised.
1. Foreign investment value
Foreign investors made under 10% of UK equity deals since 2016, but contributed £127 billion, more than half of the total value raised. The median foreign-only deal reached £5.77 million in 2025, compared with £0.49 million for UK-only deals.
2. AI and acquisitions
AI featured in 44.4% of foreign-backed deals in the first half of 2026, up from 24.3% in 2023. Among overseas acquisitions, 75.8% of targets stayed active in the UK, compared with 64.8% of targets acquired by domestic buyers.
