MANILA - Net foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Philippines plunged 57.2 percent from a year earlier to 813 million dollars in the first half, the central bank said Wednesday.

The year-earlier figure stood at 1.9 billion dollars. June FDI posted a net outflow of 12 million dollars.

The June and January-June 2008 figures reflect the "prevailing cautious investor sentiment due to concerns about the negative effects of global financial market stresses on global demand," the statement said.