The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is expected to maintain its hawkish monetary policy stance, according to international lenders, though economists remain divided on how many additional interest-rate increases will be needed to combat persistent supply-side inflation. Japanese financial...
Emerging market (EM) Asian currencies continue to bear the brunt of ongoing geopolitical rifts, with the peso suffering the deepest decline among the region’s energy-importing economies since conflicts in the Middle East flared up nearly four months ago. According to a report published last...
Despite easing inflation in May, pressure is mounting on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to raise interest rates by 50 basis points (bps) at its June 18 policy meeting, as analysts see the moderation in price growth as short-lived and argue that a smaller hike could come at the expense of the...
Nomura Holdings Inc., a Japanese investment and brokerage giant, has significantly downgraded its economic outlook for the Philippines as the nation struggles with energy security vulnerabilities and mounting inflationary pressures. A new report showed that Nomura has slashed its real gross...
Local monetary authorities face the growing challenge to stabilize surging consumer prices as the initial pass-through of global oil inflation threatens to push the headline rate into double digits by the fourth quarter of the year. The mounting risk that inflation expectations could become...
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is poised to extend its tightening cycle as foreign lenders believe that the central bank will prioritize anchoring inflation expectations over mounting risks to economic growth. Following the Monetary Board’s decision last week to raise the benchmark...
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,...
GT Capital Holdings Inc., the Ty family’s flagship investment firm, has infused ₱9.16 billion into its wholly owned property subsidiary Federal Land Inc. through the acquisition of a 20-percent stake in the unit’s joint venture (JV) with Nomura Real Estate Development Co. Ltd. (NRE). In a...
The peso tumbled to a fresh record low on Friday, March 27, breaching the 60.5-level as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East intensified and the central bank signaled it sees no immediate need to defend the currency. The peso weakened to ₱60.55 per dollar, surpassing the previous historic low...
Foreign lenders are backing the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) increasingly hawkish stance as the local economy grapples with war-driven oil price volatility and supply disruptions. Nomura Holdings Inc., a Japanese investment and brokerage giant, raised its expectations for “significant”...
Nomura Holdings Inc. warned that the Philippines’ credit rating outlook faces a potential downgrade to “negative” if lingering corruption scandal involving flood control funds remains unresolved, threatening to derail the country’s progress toward an “A” grade rating. In a monthly...
Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) has entered a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Mitsui & Co. (Asia Pacific) Pte. Ltd. Manila Branch (Mitsui) and SteelAsia Manufacturing Corp. to explore the creation of a closed-loop steel recycling system that supports a circular economy....
