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...
Private sector economists are split over whether the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) will raise interest rates this week, as the need to anchor inflation expectations and defend the peso battles concerns over the fragile economic recovery. Of 10 economists surveyed, five expect a 25-basis-point...
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...
The Philippine economy is facing its most severe test from the ongoing oil crisis, with economists warning that surging fuel costs and supply disruptions are exposing deep structural vulnerabilities and could derail growth prospects this year. In separate reports released on Friday, April 10,...
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...
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,...
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 global oil shock triggered by escalating conflict in the Middle East is hitting the Philippines’ poorest households the hardest, as surging fuel costs spill over into food prices and erode purchasing power. A March 26 position paper by state-run policy think tank Philippine Institute for...
Business confidence and investment in the country are expected to take a hit as the government escalates anti-corruption efforts, with the ongoing scandal potentially causing firms to postpone projects, according to London-based think tank Capital Economics. In a report dated Oct. 22, Jason Tuvey,...
Pervasive corruption in the Philippines is preventing the country from realizing its full economic potential, despite President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. making “steady progress” on his reform agenda, according to the think tank Capital Economics. In its Asia Economic Outlook report for the...
Consumer prices may have risen at a faster pace in August, the central bank projected, as recent typhoons and excessive rainfall likely stoked the cost of basic goods, especially food items. Last month’s inflation is expected to clock within the range of one percent to 1.8 percent, according to...
Asian exports, including those from the Philippines, are seen remaining resilient in the second half of the year, contrary to earlier expectations that regional shipments would slump once front-loading ahead of United States (US) tariffs wane, according to the think tank Capital Economics....
