Foreign direct investment (FDI) net inflows settle at $4.8 billion from January to August compared with the $5.9 billion from the same period last year.

The decline was driven mainly by lower net investments in debt instruments. This reflected lower net intercompany borrowings from foreign direct investors during the period.

Equity capital placements, which were little changed, came primarily from Japan, the United States, and Singapore. The placements were channeled largely into the manufacturing, financial and insurance, and real estate industries.

The BSP’s FDI statistics reflect actual cross-border direct investment transactions. These are distinct from the approved foreign investments published by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which represent investment commitments and may differ from FDI in terms of coverage and timing. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas