FDI posts record net inflows of $961 million in April  

July 10, 2019

Foreign direct investments (FDI) recorded net inflows of $961 million in April as all FDI components registered positive balances during the month.


This level, however, was 11.8 percent lower than the $1.1 billion net inflows posted in the same period last year.


During the month, net inflows of net equity capital declined by 85.5 percent to $39 million from $272 million in April 2018.


Equity capital placements  emanated largely from Thailand, the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan.


These were channeled mainly to financial and insurance, real estate, manufacturing, electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply and construction industries.


Non-residents' investments in debt instruments (consisting mainly of loans extended by parent companies abroad to their local affiliates) increased by 12.6 percent to $830 million from $737 million posted last year.


Likewise, reinvestment of earnings reached $92 million, higher by 14 percent than the $80 million recorded in April 2018.


On a year-to-date basis, FDI yielded $2.9 billion net inflows in January-April , a 14 percent decrease from the $3.4 billion net inflows recorded a year ago.


This developed on account of the decline in net equity capital investments as placements dropped by 44.5 percent to $712 million from $1.3 billion, coupled with a 204.9 percent increase in withdrawals to $377 million from $124 million during the period.


Equity capital placements during the January to April were sourced mostly from Japan, the United States, China, Singapore, and South Korea. DMS