The domestic inflation environment remains persistently “challenging,” according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), a factor that MUFG Bank Ltd. believes could prompt the central bank to further tighten monetary policy to help anchor the pressured peso. Last Friday night, June 5, the BSP...
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) would likely continue hiking interest rates this year despite the lower-than-expected inflation rate in May, even as the pace of monetary policy tightening may be more gradual as economic growth remains subdued, according to Singapore-based United Overseas Bank...
Even as inflation came in softer than expected in May, private-sector economists still expect the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to raise its key interest rate by at least a quarter point to 4.75 percent at the upcoming June 18 policy meeting. Inflation moderated to 6.8 percent in May from the...
British banking giant Barclays now expects the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to deliver just one more interest rate hike this month before eventually returning to monetary policy easing, after inflation in May slowed more than anticipated. In a report obtained by Manila Bulletin,...
Foreign banks expect Philippine inflation to have picked up further in May, above the already more-than-four-year high of 7.2 percent last April, making room for more interest rate hikes by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). In a May 29 report obtained by Manila Bulletin, Goldman Sachs...
The central bank has ordered lenders to halt the use of non-deliverable foreign-exchange derivatives for speculative bets on the local currency, stepping up efforts to curb artificial volatility after loosening rules last year. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli Remolona Jr. clarified...
Citing the rising risk of inflation expectations becoming de-anchored, the Paris-headquartered intergovernmental Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) holds one of the most hawkish positions on policy tightening, penciling in a maximum of 125 basis points (bps) in interest...
The Philippine banking system’s total assets climbed to ₱30.12 trillion as of end-April, driven by sustained growth in lending and strong liquidity, with investment holdings continuing to support the economy. The latest preliminary Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data showed banks’ combined...
Philippine banks’ bad loan ratio deteriorated to 3.37 percent as of end-April 2026, marking an eight-month high, likely due to the delayed impact of elevated borrowing rates on borrowers. The latest Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data showed that the banking industry’s gross non-performing...
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the central bank have approved the merger of the nation’s two largest payment and clearing operators, creating a unified entity tasked with driving growth in digital transactions in the country. BancNet Inc. and the Philippine Clearing House Corp....
Foreign banks are turning more hawkish on domestic consumer prices than the central bank, warning that expiring price freezes and unabsorbed food costs will drive inflation beyond official projections. Frankfurt-based Deutsche Bank AG has an inflation forecast of 8.1 percent for May, breaching the...
The Manila City government has reopened the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center’s emergency room, restoring full operations after its May 29 closure for brief service and infrastructure upgrades. The hospital underwent fast-tracked improvements aimed at upgrading services and enhancing the overall...
