Multilateral development banks (MDBs) are stepping up coordination to cushion economies from the spillover effects of the Middle East conflict, citing rising energy costs, supply chain disruptions, and tighter financial conditions as immediate risks to growth and stability. In an April 17 joint...
Rising global energy prices driven by Middle East tensions are posing growing risks to the Philippine office real estate sector, as higher power costs threaten tenant demand, rental growth, and asset values, according to property consultancy Colliers. In an April 16 report, Colliers Philippines...
The Philippines has launched a safeguard investigation into rice imports, as authorities move to assess whether a surge in inbound shipments is harming domestic farmers of the country’s primary food staple. In an April 15 notification to the Geneva-based World Trade Organization (WTO), the...
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...
Pockets of extreme tightness in refined fuel supply across Asia are emerging as a major constraint on growth, with the Philippines among the most exposed economies, according to think tank Oxford Economics. In report last Wednesday, April 15, Oxford Economics senior economist Sheana Yue warned that...
The collapse of peace talks between the United States (US) and Iran over the weekend could hurt semiconductor manufacturers in Asia, including the Philippines, according to British banking giant Barclays. “A prolonged energy disruption could lead to a tail-risk scenario that hits semiconductor...
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,...
The interagency Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB) has allowed registered business enterprises (RBEs) in economic zones and freeports to temporarily adopt work-from-home (WFH) arrangements of up to 90 percent of their workforce, following the declaration of a national energy emergency. In a...
Philippine economic recovery from the flood-control corruption fallout last year is seen as being derailed by escalating geopolitical risks from the Middle East conflict, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which slashed its 2026 growth forecast to below target. Citing uncertainties tied...
British banking giant Barclays sees the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) holding key interest rates steady at this month’s policy meeting before possibly hiking in June, in a bid to support the already weak economic growth outlook even prior to the war in the Middle East. “With the ceasefire...
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...
The Philippines’ energy rationing measures, including a shortened four-day workweek for some government offices, are disproportionately hitting low-income households, raising risks of stagflation and potential social unrest, according to think tank Oxford Economics. In a report on Thursday, April...
