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 Philippines is already experiencing a strong El Niño, but its impact could worsen in early 2027 as rainfall declines across more provinces, prompting the government to accelerate preparations for possible drought, water shortages and agricultural losses.
A tabulation presented by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) to the Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, showed covered and suspicious transactions involving Vice President Sara Duterte’s accounts from 2007 to 2025. The records reflected total inflows of P1.41 billion, outflows of P1.06 billion, and P1.26 billion in transactions with undetermined inflow or outflow. The report also showed inflows from China and other countries amounting to hundreds of millions of pesos involving Cale88 Foods Corp., owned by Duterte’s husband, Atty. Manases Carpio, with whom she has an absolute community of property. The AMLC report forms part of the prosecution’s evidence on alleged ill-gotten wealth, as prosecutors contend their salaries and business income are insufficient to explain their accumulated wealth.
The Asian Photovoltaic Industry Association calls for stronger regional support for rooftop solar and energy storage as core to building more resilient, flexible power systems.