The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) news release entitled “Foreign Direct Investors’ Outlays to Acquire or Establish U.S. Business Increased in 2008.” Outlays by foreign direct investors to acquire or establish U.S. businesses increased 3 percent in 2008, to $260.4 billion.  Outlays in 2008 were the third-largest on record and the sixth consecutive increase since a falloff in outlays in 2001-2002. (Update from Invest in America, the U.S. Department of Commerce 6/23/2009)