Yields on shorter-dated Philippine Treasury bills climbed at Monday’s auction as investors positioned for a possible further monetary tightening by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) later this week.
Philippine inflation surged to 7.2 percent in September, matching the pace in April, which is the fastest rate in three-and-a-half years and putting the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas under renewed pressure to tighten monetary policy.
The US Federal Reserve raised interest rates Wednesday for the first time since 2023, lifting its benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 3.75 percent to 4 percent as policymakers moved to counter persistent inflation.
Treasury bill yields climbed across all maturities at Monday’s auction as investors priced in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ recent rate hike and the prospect of further monetary tightening amid an elevated inflation outlook.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is pushing to close a persistent financing gap for micro, small and medium enterprises, with bank loans to the sector reaching more than P580 billion but accounting for only about 6 percent of total business lending.
The impressive run of Alex Eala at the Prudential Hong Kong Open ended with a painful thud on Sunday, as a troublesome right leg proved a bigger opponent than she could handle in the championship match.
Filipino households and businesses can look forward to significant relief at the pumps this week, with a major downward adjustment in fuel costs forecast following five consecutive weeks of mixed price trends.
Chemical maker D and L Industries Inc. is more hopeful about next year following the US midterm elections, which have raised hopes for an end to the Iran conflict, lower oil prices and a stronger peso. President Alvin Lao cited these as clear positives, though he warned that damaged supply chains, a severe El Niño and domestic political tensions remain key concerns.
AyalaLand Logistics Holdings Corp. (ALLHC) sharply improved its earnings in the third quarter, with net income of P62 million helping narrow its nine-month profit decline to 9 percent as industrial lot sales gained traction and cold storage operations expanded.