Foreign direct investments (FDI) continued to post net inflows amounting to $874 million in April as all FDI components registered positive balances during the month, the central bank said Monday.

This, however, was 61.1 percent lower than the level recorded in the same period last year.

Net equity capital investments reached $70 million from $825 million in April 2016.

Gross equity capital placements of $84 million, which exceeded withdrawals of $14 million in April 2017, were channeled mainly to real estate; financial and insurance; electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply; manufacturing; and human health and social work activities.

The bulk of these equity capital placements during the period emanated largely from the United States, Japan, Singapore, France, and Hong Kong.

Investments in debt instruments (consisting mainly of intercompany borrowings/lending between foreign direct investors and their subsidiaries/affiliates in the Philippines) also declined to $723 million from $1.3 billion last year.

Meanwhile, reinvestment of earnings increased by 9.3 percent to $81 million during the month.

On a year-to-date basis, FDI from January to April 2017 recorded net inflows of $2.4 billion on the back of continued investor confidence in the country’s sound macroeconomic fundamentals.

The level, however, was lower by 32 percent compared to the $3.6 billion posted a year ago following the decline in net equity capital investments to $170 million from $1.4 billion in January-April

Equity capital placements during the period were sourced mainly from Japan, the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong and Germany.

These were invested mainly in real estate; financial and insurance; wholesale and retail trade; manufacturing; and electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply activities.

Meanwhile, net investments in debt instruments grew moderately by 2 percent to reach $2 billion. Reinvestment of earnings reached $274 million, higher by 7.5 percent than the $255 million recorded in the same period last year. DMS