Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows eased modestly in March, according to preliminary data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

The BSP reported on Wednesday that net FDI inflows reached $611 million in March, down from $638 million in February but higher than the $485 million recorded in March 2025.

Net equity capital rose to $166 million from $101 million in February and $102 million a year earlier. Reinvestment of earnings also increased to $78 million from $75 million in the previous month and $62 million in March 2025.

Equity capital placements originated mainly from Japan, the United States, and Singapore and were largely directed toward the manufacturing, financial and insurance, and real estate sectors.

Meanwhile, net investments in debt instruments amounted to $368 million in March, lower than the $461 million posted in February but higher than the $321 million recorded in the same month last year.

The March result brought cumulative net FDI inflows for the first quarter to $1.717 billion, down from $2.068 billion in the corresponding period of 2025.

The BSP said it expects net FDI inflows to reach $7.5 billion in 2026, slightly below the $7.8 billion recorded in 2025, amid continued uncertainty in the global economic environment.