The Strategic Forum released the results of the 13th round of the Jordan Investor Confidence Survey, which is prepared regularly by the forum to assess the level of confidence in the local investment environment, and to monitor investors' assessment of the tangible impact of implementing the economic modernization vision initiatives and the public sector modernization roadmap three years after their implementation began.
In this round, the forum surveyed investors about the resilience of the Jordanian economy in regional and global uncertainties.
The Investor Confidence Survey consists of 6 main axes investigating the general situation in Jordan, the investment environment, business environment developments, government economic actions, investors' opinion on the implementation of economic modernization vision initiatives, and the public sector modernization roadmap, in addition to a new section aimed at surveying investors on the resilience of Jordan's economy.
The survey results were based on feedback from 570 companies across various sectors, according to their representation in the national economy. The sizes of companies ranged from large, medium, to small.
The results indicated, within the axis of assessing the general situation in Jordan, an increase in the percentage of investors who believe that the economic situation was better in the current year 2025 than in the previous year; where the percentage increased from 16% in the twelfth round (2024) to about 23.2% in the current round.
Also, the percentage of those who see that the economic situation in the current year is worse than the previous year decreased to 50.9%, after it was 63.1% in 2024.
Regarding investors' question on whether things are going in the right direction, the results indicated an increase of 14.5 percentage points, reaching 46.7% in 2025. This is the first time since 2019 that the percentage of those who see things going in the right direction exceeded those who see it going in the wrong direction.
Investors attributed this to several factors including security and stability (36.5%), followed by economic reforms and improvements in the investment and trade environment (25.2%), and government decisions (13.9%).
The investors who see that things are going in the wrong direction (46.3%), attributed this to the generally weak economic conditions (27.3%), ineffective laws and decisions and complex procedures (22.3%), market stagnation (14.4%), and rising taxes and prices and production costs (11.0%).
Regarding the business dealing of companies in 2025 compared to 2024, 27% of respondents indicated that the situation is better than the previous year, after it was 15.3%. Also, the percentage of investors who see that the situation is worse than it was decreased from 62.2% to 41.2%. Meanwhile, 31.6% of respondents saw that the situation remained the same.
Regarding the economic situation in the coming year in general, the results showed the optimism of investors next year, as the percentage of those who expect that things will be better than they are, increased from 36.6% in the previous round (2024), to 57% in the current round (2025).
The report indicated that 68.2% of investors believe that the volume of their companies' economic dealings during the next year will be better than it is now. This percentage is the highest since 2019, indicating optimism in future economic activity.
The Forum pointed out that the industrial sector is the most optimistic about the future of its economic activity during the coming year, with a percentage of 71.6%. It is followed by the service sector with 68%, and then the agricultural sector with 66.7%.
The results also indicated that investors from large companies (more than 51 workers), are the most optimistic about the future of their economic dealings in the upcoming year.
Within the investment environment axis, the forum noted a significant increase in the percentage of investors who see that the investment environment in Jordan is encouraging from 31.7%, to 45.4%. While the percentage of those who see it as discouraging decreased by 13.7 percentage points, reaching 52.5% after it was 66.2% in the previous year.
Moreover, the survey results showed that the majority of investors (73.7%) do not consider moving their businesses outside of Jordan, compared to 26% who do. Regarding the main reasons that push them to consider moving their businesses abroad, 35% of them indicated that the investment environment abroad is better. Meanwhile, 20% of them attributed it to complex government procedures.
When asked whether investors expanded or downsized their businesses during 2025, the highest percentage of them (53.3%) indicated that they maintained their businesses as they are. Meanwhile, the percentage of investors who expanded their businesses increased to 22.1% in the current round, compared to 17.8% in the previous round.
Large companies were the most expansive in their businesses in Jordan, with 40.6% of investors within this category. While small companies were the least expansive with a percentage (17.7%).
To form a clearer picture regarding the policies that can be adopted by the government to enable investors to expand their businesses, the Jordanian Strategic Forum posed a question about the main obstacles that limit the expansion of their economic activities. Accordingly, 26.8% of investors indicated that high taxes hinder expansion, while 21.1% pointed to complex procedures and rising input costs (15.3%).
The question was also directed to investors on whether they employed any artificial intelligence tools in their businesses during the past 12 months; 26.8% of respondents answered "yes", indicating that they relied on them significantly for improving marketing and promotion policies.
The results showed limited use and lower percentages in improving efficiency and productivity, or developing new products. Also, the results showed that the industrial and agricultural sectors are the most users of artificial intelligence tools, specifically within the category of large companies.
Regarding whether investors had laid off some of their employees during the past 12 months, 67% of investors answered "no", compared to 33% who answered "yes". The reasons behind laying off some employees were due to weak market movement and purchasing power, and high operational costs (social security, taxes, and others). Meanwhile, artificial intelligence tools were not a reason for laying off employees.
When asked about the extent to which companies registered in Jordan are interested in listing in the Amman Financial Market, the results showed a slight increase in that percentage (17.2%) compared to the previous round. Meanwhile, 38.9% of them see that there is no interest.
As for whether investors have invested outside Jordan, 7.5% of them answered "yes". Specifically, in Saudi Arabia (39.5%), the United Arab Emirates (16.3%), Egypt (11.6%), Iraq (7%), and the United States (4.7%).
Regarding the developments in the business environment and government economic actions, more than half of the investors (55.3%) indicated that the government efforts made to attract investment are satisfactory, with a higher percentage than the previous round (38.5%). Also, the percentage of those who see that the government's performance in enhancing the partnership between the public and private sectors is satisfactory, increased to 59.5%, after it was 46.2% in the previous round.
Regarding the government actions required to attract more investments, 60% of investors pointed out the necessity to reduce taxes and customs, while 56% indicated the need to simplify government procedures, and 40.7% pointed out the need to encourage investment, including providing stimulating loans and encouraging resources for investors
As for the economic modernization vision axis, the results showed a clear variance in investors' opinions about the extent of the change they noticed as a result of implementing the vision's initiatives. Despite the increase in the percentage of investors who see that they did not notice a change in the vision, the percentage of those who see a positive change slightly increased to 36.7% in the current round, in addition to a decrease in the percentage of investors who see that the change was negative.
According to the eight drivers of the vision, investors noticed a positive change in the drivers "Jordan as a global destination", and "the sustainable environment", while the "investment" driver was seen as the least changed by them.
Regarding "whether the efforts made within the economic modernization vision are going in the right direction or the wrong direction", 60% of investors indicated that things are going in the right direction, compared to 34.6% who see that they are going in the wrong direction.
Within the public sector modernization roadmap axis, the results showed that 67% of investors believe that things are going in the right direction, with similar percentages from the perspective of representatives of different economic sectors, noting that this percentage was about 58% in 2024, and 46% in 2023.
Regarding the extent of change that occurred on the ground as a result of implementing the seven components of the public sector modernization roadmap, the procedures and digitization component recorded the highest tangible change percentage (89.6%) from the perspective of investors. Meanwhile, the legislation component remained the most challenging among the seven components. It is worth mentioning that the "institutional culture" component witnessed significant improvement compared to the results of the previous round by 17.3 percentage points.
Within the new axis "resilience of the Jordanian economy in case of uncertainty in the region and the world"; the results showed that the majority of companies (81.4%) are able to withstand external shocks, while 17.7% of the companies indicated that they are unable to. The survey results also indicated that large companies are the most resilient.
Regarding the extent of their diversification of supply chains, more than half of the companies (57.9%) indicated that the majority of their suppliers are local. While (23.3%) of companies rely on several suppliers from different countries and regions.
As for the strategies followed by companies to enhance their resilience, the results showed that 31.4% of companies have expanded into new local and export markets to enhance their resilience. This was followed by adopting a strategy of diversifying suppliers and supply networks, with 21.5% of companies.
Regarding the financial strategies used by companies to protect their businesses from external shocks, the results revealed that the upper proportion of companies (39.3%) does not have an official financial risk management, while 25.3% of companies indicated the use of a strategy to diversify income sources such as expanding into markets or sectors.
When asking investors about the most urgent priorities to enhance the resilience of the Jordanian economy, from the investors' perspective, 39.1% of the companies indicated the importance of enhancing the integration of economic and trade relations with the region's countries (Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and the Arabian Gulf), in addition to focusing on existing local investments and attracting more new foreign investments.
In conclusion, based on the results of the report, the Jordanian Strategic Forum recommended the necessity of focusing the executive program of the upcoming stage of administrative modernization on simplifying government procedures, enhancing the foundations of legislation establishment, and ensuring their stability. In addition to accelerating the implementation of economic modernization vision initiatives, particularly in the investment driver, to enhance the attraction of investments according to the levels that the vision aspires to.
The forum also noted the necessity to enhance the resilience of the national economy by supporting the diversification of markets, supply chains, encouraging companies to adopt financial risk management tools, and artificial intelligence to increase productivity, and develop more complex new products, alongside maintaining existing investments, and stimulating their horizontal and vertical expansion, especially small and medium-sized companies, which showed higher sensitivity towards economic conditions.
In conclusion, the report emphasized the importance of maintaining the positive impressions among investors, as shown in this round of the survey compared to the previous rounds, through the continued serious government efforts and their persistence in creating positive change in the investment environment and its reflections on citizens' quality of life.
