LOS ANGELES - Investors worldwide poured $25.9 billion into clean energy in the last three months, down 9 percent from $28.6 billion in the second quarter, analysts at research group New Energy Finance said on Friday.

The investment was still far ahead from the collapse the sector suffered in the first quarter, when it saw only $13.3 billion of investment, the group said.

The recovery in public markets and the first real installment of green stimulus dollars pledged by major economies helped boost investment in the third quarter.

New Energy Finance also revised its forecast for investment for the full-year to $105 billion to $115 billion, the upper end of its prior estimate of $95 billion to $115 billion.

It is heartening to see that the collapse in investment seen in the first quarter of this year is firmly receding in the rear-view mirror, said Michael Liebreich, chairman and chief executive of New Energy Finance, in a statement.

Liebreich added the financing environment is still difficult, with excessive reliance on stimulus funds, development banks and state-backed capital providers.

Investment in clean energy still has not recovered to levels seen in 2008 and 2007.

(Reporting by Laura Isensee; editing by Andre Grenon)

Energy Investment