Debt-watcher Moody’s Ratings projects the Philippine debt burden to stay above pre-pandemic levels as weakening debt affordability and elevated funding costs weigh on government finances despite recent easing by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). This also comes despite Moody’s affirmation...
While closer ties to large conglomerates provide Philippine banks with ample capital and lending opportunities, these direct connections also increase lending risks within the groups, and financial distress at the conglomerate level could have a profound impact on the banks. “Financial distress...
Moody’s Ratings has affirmed the credit ratings of three of the Philippines ’ largest banks —BDO Unibank Inc., Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), and Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank)—on the back of their solid capital positions, stable profitability, and strong liquidity, even...
Debt watcher Moody’s Ratings has downgraded Union Bank of the Philippines’ (UnionBank) credit ratings, citing deteriorating asset quality following rapid growth in retail lending and rising problem loan ratios. In its latest rating action issued on Monday night, April 21, Moody’s cut the...
While Security Bank Corp. shows overall financial stability, credit rater Moody’s Ratings revised its outlook on the bank’s ratings to negative, citing lingering risks, including the decline in its capital buffer, rapid loan growth, and reduced ability to absorb losses. “We revised the...
Moody’s Ratings, a credit rating agency, has upgraded Philippine National Bank’s (PNB) deposit ratings, citing the big bank’s sustained improvement in profitability, strong capital position, and solid liquidity as key drivers of the upgrade. Moody’s has raised PNB’s ratings for...
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 Philippines' relatively lower reciprocal tariffs, to be levied by the United States (US) on imports, will shield domestic banks from larger losses due to the economic fallout, according to the debt watcher Moody's Ratings. Across the Asia-Pacific region, where many countries will be slapped...
While no economy in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region will be resistant against the impact of an even more complicated global trade, the Philippines and other domestically driven economies could easily adapt. “Intensification of geopolitical pressures could further harm the APAC region,”...
Expectations that the Philippines' debt as a share to economic output would stay elevated in the coming years were flagged by debt watcher Moody's Ratings over the weekend, highlighting concerns on affordability when repaying obligations. "Debt to GDP [gross domestic product] will remain higher...
Filipinos are increasingly becoming vulnerable to romance or love scams as the number of potentially fraudulent individuals or entities surged in 2024, Moody’s data revealed. “The number of Filipino entities and people with potential links to romance scams (‘romance scam profiles’)...
The Philippines is expected to achieve a robust economic growth rate this year, driven by rising employment, remittance inflows, and government investment, debt-watcher Moody’s Ratings said. Based on the latest Moody’s Sovereigns – Asia-Pacific Outlook on Wednesday, Jan. 15, the country’s...
