While economic reforms introduced since mid-2022 augur well for the second half of the Marcos Jr. administration, still-prevalent corruption and political noise—especially the conflict between the President and Vice President Sara Duterte—remain investor concerns, according to the think tank...
The Philippines and Southeast Asia may attract foreign investments avoiding China and India if the United States (US) pushes through with its threat of higher tariffs on Indian goods, according to the think tank Capital Economics. “[US] President [Donald] Trump’s threat to impose an additional...
While Philippine gross domestic product (GDP) growth showed relative strength in the second quarter, private-sector economists believe it is not strong enough to prevent the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) from further reducing interest rates, as inflation is expected to remain soft and growth...
Central banks in Southeast Asia, where economies like the Philippines export a wide array of goods to the United States (US), are expected to cut interest rates some more as tariffs take effect next month, according to the think tank Capital Economics. In a July 23 report, Capital Economics senior...
Amid trade tensions between Washington and Beijing, China is increasing exports to emerging markets (EMs) like the Philippines, to reroute shipments to the United States (US), think tanks said. “US tariffs appear to have given renewed impetus to Chinese producers’ efforts to export to EMs,...
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....
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...
Despite double-digit exports growth in the first five months of the year, economic think tanks expect the sales of Philippine-made goods overseas to falter in the second half, especially if United States (US) President Donald Trump pushes through with his tariff spree. “Exports are also likely to...
The Philippines’ plan to temper spending on public goods and services in a bid to narrow its budget deficit to pre-pandemic levels may slow economic growth, according to the think tank Capital Economics. “Monetary easing across the region should support consumption and investment, but tighter...
Even as the Philippine peso depreciated against the United States (US) dollar at a pace that was among the worst among emerging market (EM) currencies last week, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is still expected to cut interest rates this week. Data from the Bankers Association of the...
The Philippines has a "low" sovereign debt risk despite its ballooning obligations, but think tank Capital Economics cautioned that emerging markets (EMs) with better managed public finances should not rest on their laurels amid lingering fiscal strains. In a June 12 report authored by Capital...
Money sent home by Filipinos working and living in the United States (US) is seen at risk from the remittance tax proposal pending in the US Congress, according to the think tank Capital Economics. "The proposed five-percent US tax on remittance outflows would have a particularly large negative...
