The Chinese government is reporting that foreign direct investment into the country for the first half of 2008 has risen by 45.6 percent over the same period in 2007. Foreign entities invested a total of US$52.4 billion between January and June. Agence France-Presse reports that the government's foreign direct investment number for January through May of this year was US$42.8 billion, which would mean that $9.6 billion was invested just last month. Industry analysts say that speculative money is entering China as investors try to capitalize on the strengthening yuan.