Foreign direct investments grew in January: central bank

April 10, 2018

Foreign direct investments (FDI) yielded net inflows of $919 million in January, up  56.7 percent from the same month last year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said Monday.

Net equity capital inflows, which accounted for the bulk of FDI during the period, rose more than eight times to $473 million from $58 million in the previous year.

This was driven by the seven-fold increase in equity capital placements to $531 million, while withdrawals amounted to only $58 million during the month.

Equity capital placements were sourced from Singapore, China, Taiwan, Japan, and the United States.

These capital infusions were invested mainly in manufacturing; financial and insurance; real estate; electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply; and wholesale and retail trade activities. Meanwhile, net investments in debt instruments issued by local affiliates, consisting of intercompany loans, declined by 16.7 percent to $381 million.

Reinvestment of earnings also decreased moderately by 8.4 percent to $65 million during the period. DMS