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...
The Philippine economy is currently in a strange, uncomfortable middle ground. While the numbers for the early part of the year looked okay on paper, the experience at the grocery store or the gas station today feels very different. Interest rates are holding steady at high levels, the peso is...
Renewed Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are seen aggravating oil price- and supply-driven inflation pressures in the Philippines stemming from the ongoing war in the Middle East. “While the direct effect of renewed strikes on shipping in the Red Sea on aggregate world trade is likely to be limited,...
Multilateral lenders including the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank Group (WBG) are moving to provide immediate financing and coordinated support to countries reeling from the economic fallout of the Middle East war. In a statement on...
Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-largest private lender in the Philippines, received top honors for its investment management performance at the CFA Society Philippines’ annual awards, signaling the bank’s continued dominance in the local wealth management space. The Metro-Dollar...
Singapore-based United Overseas Bank Ltd. (UOB) expects the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to keep key interest rates unchanged this year, despite rising risks to growth and inflation from the ongoing war in the Middle East. “Amid persistent uncertainty over the Middle East conflict, we expect...
Local banking sector showed signs of resilience in February as lending growth by major lenders accelerated, snapping the cooling trend that had sent credit expansion to a near two-year low the previous month. According to the latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), bank lending...
Bank of Commerce, the banking arm of conglomerate San Miguel Corp., reported record full-year earnings as surging interest income and disciplined approach to costs drove a third consecutive year of growth following its initial public offering. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on...
The research arm of Frankfurt-based Deutsche Bank believes the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) could eventually hike the 4.25-percent key interest rate over upcoming policy meetings, but the cycle could end after a maximum of three hikes as the Philippines still grows below potential. “Prices...
Dividend remittances of government-owned and/or -controlled corporations (GOCCs) fell 17.2 percent to ₱114.6 billion in 2025, driven by a sharp contraction in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) remittance after leading in two consecutive years. The latest data from the Bureau of the...
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is facing mounting pressure to abandon its steady policy stance as domestic and foreign lenders warn that persistent supply shocks are beginning to seep into the broader economy. A growing chorus of economists expects the BSP to raise its benchmark interest...
Singapore-based DBS Bank Ltd. said the Philippines is facing declining investor confidence as the persistent surge in energy costs stemming from the Middle East war weighs on the government’s ability to service its debts. Citing data on credit default swaps (CDS), DBS economists said the...
