British banking giant HSBC is now leaning toward back-to-back jumbo interest rate hikes that could lift policy rates to six percent, as signs of de-escalation in Middle East tensions remain muted—potentially forcing the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to add another layer to its...
While Asian currencies have been on a modest decline since Middle East tensions flared up, Japanese financial giant MUFG Bank Ltd. said the Philippine peso was the biggest loser among regional currencies, given the domestic economy’s high exposure to imported oil. Separately, think tank Capital...
British banking giant Barclays expects Philippine economic growth this year to fall to a new post-pandemic low, even as easing tensions in the Middle East may help limit further downside risks to the outlook. An April 17 report obtained by Manila Bulletin showed Barclays’ latest forecast of just...
While the oil-induced inflation spike in the Philippines is raising concerns, think tank Capital Economics expects the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to keep key interest rates steady for the rest of the year. In an April 15 report, Capital Economics chief emerging markets (EMs) economist...
International Finance Corp. (IFC), the private-sector lending arm of the World Bank Group (WBG), will invest up to $25 million in a structured debt fund that will finance financial technology (fintech) companies, including those operating in the Philippines. In an April 13 disclosure, IFC said its...
The ceasefire-driven rally of Asian currencies, including the Philippine peso, may be short-lived as global oil risks linger, according to Singapore-based Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. Ltd. (OCBC). In an April 9 report, OCBC Group Research foreign exchange (FX) strategists Sim Moh Siong and...
If the war in the Middle East prolongs and global oil prices continue to skyrocket, the Philippine peso could breach the ₱61:$1 level in the second quarter of 2026 and even hit as low as ₱62 to ₱64 against the United States (US) dollar. “Our base case forecasts for the US dollar-Philippine...
Investors’ risk-off sentiment amid rising oil prices continued to lift the United States (US) dollar, while the Philippine peso remained on the losing end, plummeting anew to a level approaching the ₱61-per-dollar mark. The peso fell to another record low against the US dollar for the third...
Central banks in emerging markets (EMs), including the Philippines, are seen hiking interest rates to temper weakening currencies and higher capital outflows, according to think tank Capital Economics. Shilan Shah, deputy chief EM economist at Capital Economics, said in a March 30 report that they...
The World Bank Group (WBG) said it is stepping up support for emerging market (EM) economies like the Philippines, as the ongoing Middle East conflict drives up commodity prices and disrupts global logistics, posing new risks to growth and food security. In a statement on Thursday, March 26, the...
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has cautioned the public against using online trading platforms Exness Global Ltd. and HF Markets (HFM), alleging that the firms are illegally soliciting investments from local investors. In separate advisories, the regulator said both Exness Global and...
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of the Philippines has officially assumed the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Capital Markets Forum (ACMF), following the handover ceremony earlier this month in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Taking the helm from the...
