Foreign direct investment (FDI) net inflows into the Philippines slow in March, reaching a two-month low, according to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data cited by Inquirer.net. Net inflows amount to $611 million, the weakest monthly figure since January. The reported slowdown comes as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East weigh on the global economic outlook. Despite the month-on-month easing, the March figure is still higher than a year earlier, up 26.1% compared with the same month in the previous year. For the first quarter, net FDI inflows total $1.7 billion, representing a 17% decline versus the same period last year. Inquirer.net reports that the central bank treats the March result as consistent with investor confidence remaining intact, even as external risks affect capital flow conditions. The two reports describe the same general pattern: softer FDI inflows in March, with continued year-on-year increases for that month but weaker cumulative inflows over the first quarter.