FDI decline eases in March

Declining FDI in China began to ease in March, according to figures released by the Ministry of Commerce, state media reported. Actual FDI in March was US$8.4 billion, down 9.5% year-on-year but an improvement compared to February’s 15.8% decline. March figures reflect the sixth month of uninterrupted decline in FDI. Analysts hope the worst is over and some expect the figures to turn positive in the third quarter. Su Chang, a macro-economic analyst with China Economic Business Monitor, predicts that FDI inflows will start increasing in the second half of the year.