FDI inflows to Philippines down 17.83% in first half

The BSP said capital placements came primarily from Japan, the US and Singapore and mainly flowed into the manufacturing, financial and insurance and real estate industries.

Hanoi (VNA) - Foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to the Philippines sank 17.83% to 3.38 billion USD in the first half of 2026 from 4.12 billion USD a year ago, as foreign investors pulled back sharply on intercompany lending and reinvested earnings, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said.

Data showed nonresidents’ investment in debt instruments dropped 25.82% to 2.06 billion USD and led the decline, while reinvestment of earnings decreased 19.36% to 829 million USD, according to the Manila Standard.

The BSP said capital placements came primarily from Japan, the US and Singapore and mainly flowed into the manufacturing, financial and insurance and real estate industries.

UnionBank of the Philippines chief economist Ruben Carlo Asuncion attributed the year-on-year increase in June to the inherent volatility of monthly investment flows, particularly in intercompany borrowings and reinvestment activity.

“Moving forward, FDI flows will likely remain sensitive to global growth prospects, trade and geopolitical developments, and broader investor sentiment, although the continued increase in equity investments provides some support for the outlook”, he said./.

VNA

See more

Thailand upgrades GDP growth to 2.5% in 2026

Thailand upgrades GDP growth to 2.5% in 2026

Thailand's economic recovery will follow a K-shaped model, with growth concentrated in high-tech industries and large companies, according to the Centre for Economic and Business Forecasting at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC).

A pepresentatives of UXO Lao programme briefs on mine survey and clearance in Luang Prabang province (Photo: VNA)

International delegates inspect UXO clearance efforts in Laos

To realise the Convention on Cluster Munitions’s goals, the Lao Government has incorporated all international targets into its “Safe Path Forward III 2021–2030” national strategy and stayed committed to its national Sustainable Development Goal 18 – “Lives Safe from UXO”.

The forum on ASEAN's role in the Indo-Pacific region and prospects for cooperation with Argentina takes place on September 10 (Photo: VNA)

ASEAN highlights its central role in Indo-Pacific

The Ambassador of Indonesia, the country holding the rotating chairmanship of ASEAN in Argentina, stressed that maintaining peace and stability, along with an open, transparent regional environment based on mutual respect, are fundamental conditions for a peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

A street in Bangkok, Thailand. (Illustrative photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Thailand’s business activity shows signs of gradual recovery

As of August 31, Thailand had more than 1 million active legal entities with total registered capital of 24.13 trillion THB. The service sector accounted for the largest share, with 552,830 entities, or 54.48%, followed by wholesale and retail with 332,791 entities (32.79%) and manufacturing with 129,215 (12.73%).

Prime Minister Hun Manet (front row, centre) and Labour and Vocational Training Minister Heng Sour (front row, right) visit a garment factory in Preah Sihanouk province. MLVT (Photo: khmertimeskh.com)

Cambodia records 7,458 more enterprises in three years

A Cambodian official said that the growth should not be assessed solely by the number of newly established enterprises and facilities, but also by their contributions to investment, production, job creation and household incomes.

The ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) convenes in Manila, the Philippines, on September 9. The Vietnamese delegation is led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang (fifth, left), head of the ASEAN-Vietnam SOM.(Photo: asean.org)

Vietnam calls for stronger ASEAN unity, resilience

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dang Hoang Giang urged ASEAN to make full use of existing mechanisms to enhance dialogue, build trust and prevent risks and conflicts, particularly by strengthening the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ), and cooperation based on international law.

Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta (Photo: VNA)

Timor-Leste diversifies economy, seeks to attract investment

The President noted Timor-Leste is pursuing sustainable development, stronger regional connectivity and expanded international cooperation while seeking investment opportunities in energy, tourism and emerging economic sectors to reduce its dependence on oil and gas revenues.

Minister Counsellor Nguyen Hai Luu, Deputy Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the UN (Photo published by VNA)

Vietnam cooperates with UN to advance gender equality

Minister Counsellor Nguyen Hai Luu highlighted Vietnam’s positive achievements in promoting gender equality, noting that 13 of the 20 targets under the national strategy on gender equality had been met or exceeded by 2025.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on September 9, 2026. (Photo: VNA)

Russian public, experts praise top Vietnamese leader’s visit

Positive reactions to General Secretary and President To Lam’s visit have reaffirmed Vietnam’s steady foreign policy amid global changes, while highlighting the enduring trust and friendship between Vietnam and Russia, which are working together to create new breakthroughs in bilateral cooperation.