Philippine manufacturers are already feeling the heat from global trade uncertainties, with factory output taking a hit at the start of the second half of the year, according to Moody’s Analytics. “With stiffer United States (US) tariffs on the horizon, Philippine industrial production fell for...
LONDON, England—When a country greenlights nuclear power projects, it exposes stakeholders to significant risks. Who reaps the revenue? Who will bear the burden of a fallout? And who gets stuck with the bill? At the recent World Nuclear Symposium in London, one question came up again and again:...
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...
The Philippine economy is enjoying low inflation and accelerated growth amid a manufacturing rebound plus improved consumer spending in the second quarter of 2025, according to global investment banking giant Goldman Sachs. In an Aug. 1 report obtained by Manila Bulletin, Goldman Sachs Economics...
A slightly higher inflation rate that remains below two percent in June would allow the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to cut interest rates some more in August, economists said. In a June 27 report, Deutsche Bank Research economist Junjie Huang said headline inflation could have inched up to...
Debt watcher Moody’s Ratings said that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) continued easing of key borrowing costs would cushion the local economy amid a challenging external environment, driven especially by the persisting crossfire between Israel and Iran. “Continued monetary easing will...
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...
While the Philippines’ exit from the European Union’s (EU) high-risk jurisdictions list is expected to ease the country’s access to the EU financial system, debt watcher Moody’s still urged continued vigilance in sectors such as online gaming and cryptocurrency to ensure it does not return...
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...
With the President-backed bloc securing a midterm poll victory over the Duterte-aligned camp, Moody’s Analytics said the outcome could help ensure smoother continuity of the administration’s economic and governance policies. “In the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s...
Government spending related to the May 12 midterm elections—frontloaded expenditures prior to the polls as well as the resumption of delayed projects due to the election ban—would likely spill over into the second quarter and support first-half economic growth, economists said. "While the...
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...
