As we, in this part of the hemisphere, were sleeping, the other side of the trading world was greeted with a surprise proclamation that the United States’ (US) reciprocal tariff on 185 economies, including the Philippines but excluding China, will be put on hold for 90 days. Yes Virginia,...
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is expected to finally push through with its much-awaited reduction in key interest rates to protect the economy from the likelihood of a wider negative outlook gap, no thanks to United States (US) President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs. In an April 4...
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported that the local banking system’s gross non-performing loan (NPL) ratio remained unchanged in February, as faster loan growth offset the rise in bad loans. The latest data from the BSP showed that the banking industry’s gross NPL ratio steadied at...
The Philippines’ gross international reserves (GIR) or United States (US) dollar stock declined to $106.2 billion, or about ₱6.1 trillion, as of end-March, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported. This level decreased by $1.2 billion, or over one percent, from February’s $107.4...
United States (US) President Donald Trump's reciprocal tariffs on the Philippines could further slow the already subpar economic growth expected this year, according to DBS Bank Ltd. of Singapore. In an April 7 report, DBS Group Research chief economist Taimur Baig and senior economist Radhika Rao...
While Citi anticipates the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to resume cutting key borrowing costs by 25 basis points (bps) at its April 10 policy meeting, March’s low inflation, coupled with global trade risks, could prompt the central bank to further reduce rates sooner than expected. March’s...
March’s nearly five-year low inflation was particularly a boon to the country’s poorest households, whose price increase rate was even slower at 1.1 percent, prompting the government to push for measures that would sustain the easing of the vulnerable sector’s burden. “The lower food...
After hitting a more than two-year high in January 2025, bank lending continued to grow in February but at a slower pace, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Preliminary data from the central bank showed that loans from big banks, excluding transactions with the BSP, grew by 12.2...
The Philippines ended 2024 with a lower net international investment position (IIP) of $65.5-billion net external liability, as foreign investments in the country declined faster than its assets abroad. Preliminary data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed that the end-December’s net...
Loans issued by foreign currency deposit units (FCDU) of banks increased modestly to $15.8 billion as of end-December 2024 as disbursements exceeded principal repayments, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed. The increase in the last quarter of 2024 was $72.4 million or...
The Philippines would buck the trend of weak growth prospects in emerging markets (EMs) amid the United States' (US) tariffs threat, according to the think tank Capital Economics. "In all, aggregate EM GDP growth is likely to slow in the coming quarters... we think growth will generally fall short...
A weaker peso, caused by United States (US) tariffs lifting the US dollar and the Philippines' wider current account deficit, may delay further interest rate cuts by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), according to Japanese banking giant MUFG Bank Ltd. "We forecast the BSP to cut rates by...
