Amid rainy weather, higher tariffs, and an import ban, the Philippine manufacturing sector slipped back into contraction in September as its purchasing managers’ index (PMI) fell to 49.9, the lowest in six months and only the third decline in more than four years. S&P Global Market Intelligence...
S&P Global reported that credit growth across emerging markets (EMs) in Asia has generally softened in the first six months of the year, except in the Philippines and Vietnam, where lending has notably picked up pace. According to debt watcher S&P Global, loans from major banks, including universal...
Expectations of as much as 100 basis points (bps) in interest rate cuts by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) next year would put more pressure on domestic banks’ margins, according to debt watcher S&P Global Ratings. In a recent report, S&P Global forecast the BSP policy rate to drop further...
As manufacturers experience only mild producer price inflation, central banks in emerging markets (EMs), including the Philippines, are expected to cut interest rates some more in the near term. “Encouragingly, the price components of the PMIs [purchasing managers’ indices] fell again in June....
Philippine factory growth showed recovery in June from May’s notable loss as production improved, and new orders increased at a faster rate. According to the latest data from debt watcher S&P Global, there was a “slight revival in the Filipino manufacturing sector” last month following a...
While geopolitical tensions and the United States’ (US) tariffs have been spilling over to the Philippines, debt watcher S&P Global said the country’s 10 largest banks are stable enough against external risks. “Large banks are on solid ground amid tariff tensions,” Nikita Anand, director at...
Following the pickup in manufacturing in April, Philippine factory growth in May slowed to an almost stagnant pace as production declined due to waning demand for new orders from foreign markets and the sharpest drop in employment in the sector in nearly a year. Data from S&P Global revealed that...
Ayala Land Inc., Megaworld Corp., Robinsons Land Corp., and SM Prime Holdings Inc., the Philippines’ top four property developers, are set to accelerate their premium residential projects over the next one to two years, in a bid to cushion the impact of slowing demand in the mass housing segment....
The Korean series “Weak Hero Class 2” debuted at No. 1 on Netflix’s weekly Global Top 10 of the most watched shows and films on the streaming platform. Season 2 of “Weak Hero” ("약한영웅"), which delves into school violence, stars Park Ji-hoon as Yeon Si-eun, Ryeo Un as...
Alliance Global Group Inc. (AGI), the investment holding company of tycoon Dr. Andrew Tan, is cutting capital expenditures (capex) for 2025 following a decline in earnings in 2024. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), the firm said it is allotting ₱63 billion for capex this...
Japan and the United Kingdom (UK) have signaled concerns over a proposed measure in the Philippines that would impose a ban on the country’s export of raw minerals, according to the World Trade Organization (WTO). In a statement on its website, the WTO said the country’s proposed “export...
The new Korean drama “Karma” edged out “When Life Gives You Tangerines,” starring IU and Park Bo-gum, in the weekly rankings on Netflix. Netflix released its weekly Global Top 10 lists for April 7 to 13 of the most watched films and shows on the streaming platform. Under the...
