Net inflows of foreign direct investments declined by 30.7 percent in March to $548 million from $792 million in the same month last year as global uncertainties impacted investors’ sentiments, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Tuesday.
“The said decline resulted from lower net inflows across all major FDI components amid investor concerns over subdued global growth prospects,” the BSP said in a statement.
Equity capital placements originated mostly from Singapore, Japan and the United States. These were directed mainly to the manufacturing, information and communication and real estate industries.
Data showed that in the first quarter, FDI net inflows also decreased by 19.6 percent to $2.0 billion from $2.5 billion a year earlier.
Net FDI inflows contracted by 23.2 percent in 2022 to $9.2 billion from the record $12 billion achieved in 2021.
The BSP expects net FDI inflows to settle at $11 billion this year. Julito G. Rada