Philippine financial markets are heading into the week on a cautious footing as renewed threats by Iran to potentially close the Strait of Hormuz inject fresh volatility into global oil supply expectations and inflation outlooks, according to Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort.
The Philippine stock market is navigating a mixed outlook as the PSEi contends with renewed foreign selling, offset partially by improving domestic investor sentiment and anticipated foreign inflows into the local bond market.
Philippine financial markets are expected to remain fragile this week, with investors bracing for continued volatility as risk aversion dominates sentiment and the benchmark index struggles to regain footing above key levels.
The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) slid 1.3 percent to 6,384.58, extending profit-taking for a second session after touching seven- to nine-month highs. Even so, the benchmark remains comfortably above the 6,000 mark, keeping the broader uptrend intact and suggesting the pullback is more consolidation than reversal.
The Department of Finance (DOF) is pursuing lower remittance costs and faster access to development financing, targeting transaction expenses that weigh on Filipino households and administrative delays that can slow government programs.
FAST Logistics Group is looking to expand its presence in Cebu following its return to the Chiongbian family, sharpening its focus on the province as a base for strengthening supply chains and helping local businesses reach markets nationwide.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed finance and investment veteran Victor Alfonso Limlingan as president and chief executive officer of the Social Security System (SSS), effective October 16, 2026, placing loan expansion and pension fund investment performance at the center of his incoming agenda.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. has firmly opposed plans to auction thousands of metric tons of seized Vietnamese rice, warning the move could let those behind its illegal entry earn from the shipment.