Economy
The Philippine peso traded at ₱57.71 per US dollar on Monday, March 2, reflecting continued weakness as the Middle East conflict drives investors toward safe-haven currencies like the US dollar. The peso has been under pressure for several weeks now, and the Iran crisis has only intensified the trend.
Economy
The Philippine Stock Exchange index tumbled more than 2.4% in early Monday trading, with the PSEi dropping 159.78 points to 6,451.46 as of 9:32 AM — well below the 6,500-6,600 range that analysts had been expecting. Heavy selling swept across the broader market as
Economy
Global oil markets reacted exactly as feared when trading opened Sunday evening: US crude surged more than 8% to $72.57 per barrel, while the international benchmark Brent jumped about 9% — or $6.54 — to $79.41. It's the sharpest single-session gain in years, driven by fears that
Economy
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry is urging the government to activate all available economic defenses as the Middle East war threatens to unleash a devastating oil shock on the Philippine economy. PCCI warned that financial markets present a major vulnerability, with investors gravitating toward safe-haven assets. The country&
Economy
It's official and it's painful: Caltex, Shell, Seaoil, Cleanfuel, and Petro Gazz have announced they will hike gasoline prices by ₱1.90 per liter, diesel by ₱1.20, and kerosene by ₱1.50 starting 6 AM on Tuesday, March 3. This marks the eighth consecutive week
Economy
Finance Secretary Frederick Go says the Philippine economy can absorb the impact of the Middle East conflict, predicting the effects will be 'temporary and not significant.' But local economists are more cautious, warning that sustained oil price increases could push consumer prices closer to the upper end of
Economy
Global oil prices are expected to surge when markets open on Monday, with analysts projecting crude could jump to between $85 and $90 per barrel — a massive spike from Friday's close of around $72. The main driver: the Strait of Hormuz, which handles 20% of the world'
Economy
Philippine inflation likely accelerated in February from January's 2.0% print, with economists surveyed by Manila Standard forecasting it will settle between 2.3% and 3.1% — still within the BSP's target range but notably higher. The official figures will be released this week by the
Economy
Vehicle sales in the Philippines dipped 10.2% year-on-year in January 2026, with only 35,035 units sold compared to 37,504 in January 2025, according to a joint report by CAMPI and the Truck Manufacturers Association. The decline follows December 2025's record-breaking performance — the highest December sales
Economy
The numbers don't lie, and they're ugly: business confidence in the Philippines nosedived from 29.7% in Q4 2025 to a barely-positive 0.9% in January 2026, according to the BSP's first-ever monthly Business Expectations Survey. While technically still positive — meaning more firms are
Economy
Filipino motorists, prepare your wallets: another round of fuel price increases is expected to hit pumps in the first week of March. The Department of Energy and industry sources are projecting gasoline could rise by ₱1.40 to ₱1.60 per liter, while diesel may increase by ₱0.80 to
Economy
Advent Upgrade Solar Inc. (AUSI), a joint venture between Aboitiz Power Distributed Renewables and Upgrade Energy Philippines, has officially launched commercial operations for two new solar projects that boost the country's clean energy capacity. The milestone was made possible with vital financing support from the Bank of the