Multilateral lenders including the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank Group (WBG) are moving to provide immediate financing and coordinated support to countries reeling from the economic fallout of the Middle East war. In a statement on...
Singapore-based United Overseas Bank Ltd. (UOB) expects the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to keep key interest rates unchanged this year, despite rising risks to growth and inflation from the ongoing war in the Middle East. “Amid persistent uncertainty over the Middle East conflict, we expect...
Local banking sector showed signs of resilience in February as lending growth by major lenders accelerated, snapping the cooling trend that had sent credit expansion to a near two-year low the previous month. According to the latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), bank lending...
The national government nearly doubled its gross borrowings to ₱408.2 billion in January as the Marcos administration front-loaded its financing requirements to take advantage of favorable market conditions. According to the latest data from the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr), gross borrowings...
Central banks in emerging markets (EMs), including the Philippines, are seen hiking interest rates to temper weakening currencies and higher capital outflows, according to think tank Capital Economics. Shilan Shah, deputy chief EM economist at Capital Economics, said in a March 30 report that they...
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is facing mounting pressure to abandon its steady policy stance as domestic and foreign lenders warn that persistent supply shocks are beginning to seep into the broader economy. A growing chorus of economists expects the BSP to raise its benchmark interest...
Pervasive corruption in the Philippines is preventing the country from realizing its full economic potential, despite President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. making “steady progress” on his reform agenda, according to the think tank Capital Economics. In its Asia Economic Outlook report for the...
Two global banking giants have flagged political and fiscal challenges posing near-term risks to the Philippine economy, especially in the aftermath of a corruption scandal involving massive public spending on ineffective flood control projects in recent years. While “there is a strong pipeline...
Singapore-based United Overseas Bank (UOB) expects lower interest rates to lift Philippine economic growth in the near term, despite lingering global challenges that would likely expand the domestic economy below the government’s goal for the year. In its Quarterly Global Outlook report for the...
Despite last month’s spike in consumer prices, the steady decline in rice costs is seen to keep a lid on inflation, with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expecting it to average below two percent this year. Inflation quickened to 1.5 percent in August from 0.9 percent in July—the slowest...
Despite recent pronouncements by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) that one more policy rate cut before year-end would maintain the “Goldilocks” level, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) still forecasts two more reductions at each of the two remaining Monetary Board (MB) interest rate...
Investment banking giant Goldman Sachs expects the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to cut key interest rates by 25 basis points (bps) on Thursday, Aug. 28, amid low domestic inflation and slower economic growth. In an Aug. 22 report obtained by Manila Bulletin, Goldman Sachs Economics Research...
