The United States has maintained its top spot in consulting firm A.T. Kearney's annual ranking of which countries are most attractive to foreign investors.

While the United States stayed at No. 1, several emerging markets slipped in the list from last year, the firm's 2014 Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index shows. That likely reflects the political and economic turmoil in those markets.

"There is this continued flight to safety, or perceived safety," Paul Laudicina, a partner at Kearney, tells The Wall Street Journal. That dynamic boosted the United States and several European countries in the rankings.

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Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland and France saw their positions improve from last year.

The United States also gained allure from strong population growth, stemming partially from immigration, and increased oil and gas output, Laudicina notes.

China, which placed first from 2002 to 2012, took second this year, followed by Canada, the United Kingdom and Brazil.

Despite unresolved deficits in the eurozone, 11 European countries still rank in the top 25, some entering the ranking for the first time.

Russia fell below the top 25 after taking 11th last year. India slid to seventh place from fifth, and Mexico dropped to 12th from ninth.

The rankings are determined by a survey of senior executives at more than 300 major companies worldwide.

One U.S. market that has strongly drawn foreigners in recent days is the Treasurys market. The 10-year Treasury yield dropped to an 11-month low of 2.4 percent Thursday but had rebounded to 2.56 percent by early Tuesday.

"Last week's rally was really amazing," Hajime Nagata, a money manager at Diam Co. in Tokyo, tells Bloomberg. "It will be difficult for yields to go lower. The economy is doing OK."

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