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 European Union and the Philippines are setting up a joint artificial intelligence (AI) industry laboratory to help businesses adopt emerging technologies, improve productivity and attract investment, with micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) among the intended beneficiaries.
Filipinos are adopting faster, digital-first methods to move money across borders, relying heavily on mobile wallets and bank transfers to support daily household needs while demonstrating an appetite for emerging digital currencies like stablecoins.
The Philippines’ business and investment outlook is deteriorating as rising public debt, slowing economic growth and weakening foreign investment inflows intensify fiscal and economic pressures, according to a new assessment by WR Advisory Group.
Mindanao is emerging as the Philippines’ most credit-receptive region, with 54 percent of consumers planning to borrow or use credit for purchases in the coming months, even as more respondents identify as lower-income, according to TransUnion’s 2026 Credit Perception Index.